Life-threatening cracks have developed in a big portion of Mirpur-Kotli highway close to the periphery of Mangla dam’s reservoir, causing frightening of the local population of the area including travelers of any major untoward incident if the erosion continue to enlarge.
Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Ch. Amjad Iqbal has directed the diversion of heavy traffic moving to and from Mirpur for Kotli and others major towns through the alternative Band Road root passing along the Mangla-dam reservoir.
District administration has also advised all the concerned stake-holder departments including AJK highways, police, MUST geographical department and other agencies to remain alert and vigilant to deal with any eventuality in case of continuation of the breach. The State Highway Department, has meanwhile been advised to start repairing the highway discouraging the enlargement of the breach and erosion at the busiest highway.
After visiting the affected portion of the Mirpur Kotli Highway at the site of Dhairi Choudhriyan township, along with the senior officials of the administration and the concerned departments to make immediate inspection of the site, Mirpur Deputy Commissioner Ch. Amjad Iqbal told APP here on Friday that the breach followed by harmful cracks were found developed in the high way at Dhairi Chaudhriyan site on Mirpur Kotli Road, about 06 km from Mirpur city.
The highway was immediately closed for heavy traffic. However, the light traffic has been allowed to continue with extremely low speed at the affected site, the DC said adding that the Mirpur Highway Department has been directed to start repairing the affected portion of the road with the construction of instant speed breakers at both sides of the affected portion of the highway, he added.
The DC was flanked by senior district administration officials including ADC [G] Yasir Riaz, AC Muneer Qureshi, Div. Director PID AJK Mirpur div. Javeid Malik, Officials of police and the highway department during visit to view the collapsed site of the highway.
“The matter seems very serious since the affected portion of the Mirpur Kotli highway is close to left bank of the Mangla dam reservoir”, the Deputy Commissioner has informed the top AJK government authorities in a letter, meanwhile, issued on Friday.
“In the past, a big portion of the Mirpur-Kotli highway, hardly half of a kilometer from current affected site, had washed away following the major erosion from the side of the Mangla reservoir – which was got repaired by the concerned department “, the DC underlined in his letter.
Ch. Amjad Iqbal said that police and rescue departments teams have been posted at the affected site of the highway to make the people alert and warn to stay away of the affected site especially which passing through the damaged road.
DC has sought immediate detailed geographical survey of the affected site of the highway to avert any major impending threat to the men and material in case of continuation of the erosion.
It may be added that Mirpur district, perhaps, has been the only part of Azad Jammu Kashmir which received very minor monsoon rainfall of the season. As a result of this, the entire district remained safe fortunately with the blessings of the Almighty Allah – except the above highway-erosion incident because of the reasons yet to be investigated by the concerned authorities.
