In district Swat, the Hotel Association of Kalam and local residents have initiated construction work on the Kalam road, which has been in a state of disrepair for the past three years due to government neglect. Despite repeated requests, the government has failed to take action, leaving locals and tourists to suffer.
Kalam Hotel Association President Abdul Wadood tells The Friday Times – NayaDaur: “We have raised our voice on every forum, but the government is not listening.” Therefore, he says, they have decided to take matters into their own hands and start repairing the Kalam road to alleviate the difficulties faced by the people and prevent further damage to the tourism industry.
Former Tehsil Nazim Habibullah Saqib expresses to TFT-ND his disappointment over the tug of war between the federal and provincial governments. He reiterates the demands for the current government take immediate action to restore the Kalam road and save the tourism industry. “If the construction work on Kalam road does not start, we will widen the scope of our protest, take to the streets, and continue to protest until the work begins. We are prepared to make any sacrifice to achieve this goal.”
Due to the bad road, women have difficulty accessing hospitals, and several cases of maternal mortality have occurred during delivery
A hotel owner in Kalam, Shams-ul-Qamar, tells TFT-ND that despite the passage of three years, the Kalam road remains in a dilapidated state, causing severe difficulties for locals and tourists. Most tourists turn back due to the poor condition of the road, leading to losses in the tourism industry and reducing employment opportunities. “The elders of Kalam have warned the government that if the road is not repaired immediately, the tourism industry in the area will be completely destroyed,” he says.
There are many tourist attractions in the Kalam Valley, but due to the lack of roads, tourists often don’t dare to visit the area. Tourists are not the only ones to face problems due to the infrastructure breakdown. Due to the bad road, women have difficulty accessing hospitals, and several cases of maternal mortality have occurred during delivery.
Local elders have warned the government that if the road is not restored immediately, they will first protest in front of the provincial assembly and then in front of the national assembly.