Swat tunnel becomes operational, Lowari tunnel hangs in shame

Swat expressway tunnel
Swat motorway Tunnel

Chitral: The 81 Km six lane Swat expressway which was started from scratch in August 2016 has been completed and opened for small vehicles according to news reports. A formal ceremonial inauguration by the PM would be carried out later, the report said. The expressway also has two km long tunnels which allow free flow of traffic in a two way direction.

In contrast, construction of the Lowari tunnel project began in 2005 and today even after 14 long years the tunnel is in incomplete form with warning boards on entrance that say “As the Lowari tunnel is under construction, any body travelling through it will be doing at own risk”. Not only that, there are multiple barriers on both entrances with heavy security giving the impression to the traveler that he/she is entering a highly sensitive area, like some nuclear tunnel or something. The tunnel is closed for 12 hours a day without any logical reason and approaching vehicles are made to queue up in long lines and wait outside the tunnel for the opening time. The Lowari tunnel unlike the Swat tunnel is allowed for one-way traffic which is a big nuisance although it is built for normal two way traffic. Can any one imagine same happening at the Swat tunnel?

Comparison between the Swat tunnel and the Lowari tunnel speaks volumes of the priority the governments all through have given to Chitral and it’s people, and more so about the ineptitude and spinelessness of our political leaders. .. CN report, 03 Jun 2019

One thought on “Swat tunnel becomes operational, Lowari tunnel hangs in shame

  1. This is because we are peaceful people, and we do not have any leaders, even spineless leaders would at least be able to talk

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