LOWER DIR: Travel along the Peshawar–Chitral GT Road in Lower Dir has become a nightmare for commuters during the rainy season, as overflowing seasonal streams continue to flood large portions of the highway, causing hours-long traffic jams and severe inconvenience to the public.
Following recent rainfalls, multiple sections of the key inter-district road have been submerged under floodwaters from natural streams that cross the highway at several points. The flooding not only disrupts transportation but also poses serious challenges for patients, students, and daily wage earners who rely on the road for essential travel.
Residents and commuters blame the situation on a combination of poor infrastructure and widespread encroachments. They allege that several influential individuals have illegally built shops and structures along the banks of these seasonal streams, obstructing the natural flow of water. These obstructions force floodwaters onto the road, leading to waterlogging and the collapse of normal traffic movement.
“The road gets completely blocked after heavy rains. Vehicles can’t move for hours, and people are left stranded,” said a local resident. “Sometimes even ambulances can’t get through. It’s a complete failure of planning and administration.”
Despite repeated complaints to the district administration, residents say no significant action has been taken. The absence of an adequate drainage system and lack of enforcement against illegal constructions have turned what was once a manageable seasonal challenge into an ongoing crisis.
Eyewitnesses describe chaotic scenes during storms—bumper-to-bumper traffic, stranded passengers, and people wading through knee-deep water to reach safety. A journey that should take half an hour often stretches into several hours under such conditions.
Residents are now demanding urgent government intervention. Their demands include the removal of all encroachments along water channels, the construction of a proper flood drainage system, and regular road maintenance to prevent future disruptions.
Locals warn that without immediate corrective measures, the situation is likely to worsen in the coming monsoon season, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.
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