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Lowari Tunnel project- A suggestion
Editorial
(15 Jan 09)
Lowari Tunnel has become a reality -A dream come true for Chitralis and a
milestone in the history of Chitral indeed. NHA and the Sambu construction
company vehicles are plying comfortably through the tunnel from end to end
which proves the tunnel is now fit to take in vehicles.
The next step planned for the tunnel is the laying of a rail
track through it, which will cost another five billion rupees estimated. The
important point here is to re-think as to whether we really need a rail track
through the tunnel when all kinds of vehicles are already capable of driving
through it ?
Even, if we, for a moment overlook its whooping initial cost, railway
service through the tunnel is an avoidable external
factor and additional
liability with all its associated problems like operating cost, maintenance, mismanagement,
breakdowns etc besides causing an unnecessary wastage of time in
loading/unloading of vehicles on the train at both ends. Involving a rail
system should best be avoided when the tunnel, without it, is fully capable of
doing the needful.
There are much longer, equally narrow, tunnels in Europe including the 1980
constructed Gothard tunnel in the Swiss alps which is 16.3 Km long and is a
single lane road tunnel. In the case of the Lowari tunnel at most a couple of additional ventilation ducts may be
needed to be installed for the tunnel to be used as a regular road tunnel.
Traffic through the tunnel can be regulated by giving block timings for
up/down traffic. (The proposed rail system also is a one way system)
What is more important is to use the five billion rupees saved by scrapping
the rail system, judiciously. The saved amount could be used to
construct series of hydel power stations in Chitral and provide cheap
electricity to the people to uplift their living conditions, protect forests
and encourage small/cottage industries requiring electric power. Provision
of affordable electricity is a need of the people, second only to the need
of an all weather road. By the grace of God, we have achieved the all
weather road target, now the next immediate priority should be to fulfill our energy
requirements.
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