Naran Road opens for tourists after six months

Thoroughfare cleared of debris, snow; tourist season delayed

KAGHAN: The road leading to a popular recreation spot in Naran has opened after almost six months as the thoroughfare has been cleared of glaciers and landslides.

Locals and officials of the National Highway Authority (NHA) told The Express Tribune that every year Shahrah-e-Kaghan is closed for traffic between November and March.

However, the route was blocked for a longer period following excessive snowfall and landslides. They added the weather system had an adverse impact and routine life screeched to a grinding halt for another two months.



Jalkhad Road and the route near Saiful Maluk Lake are still blanketed in snow.

According to locals, there are six glaciers on the sides of Naran Road. After heavy snowfall, these glaciers move downslope and cover the entire road. In addition, rain has also hampered efforts to clear the road and delayed the tourist season to May.



NHA officials told The Express Tribune all six glaciers were cut so that a jeep track could be made from the middle. The debris from recent landslides was also removed three days back.

Good days return 

Naran Hotels Association President Seth Matiullah told The Express Tribune tourists have started arriving in the valley now that the road has been cleared.

He added delays in the opening of Naran Road usually deal a critical blow to the tourism industry. However, rising temperatures in Punjab and the rest of the country have forced tourists to head
to Naran.



“Hotels occupancy rate shot to 100% though 50% of the hotels are still closed,” he said.

Matiullah said he expects better business this time even though Ramazan is around the corner.

To a question, he said Pesco has yet to restore power supply to Naran, which was disrupted about two months back. However, hotel owners have ensured uninterrupted power supply to customers from the mini-hydropower generators. He said service of some cellular companies was still suspended, exposing the tourists to communication problems.

Speaking to the media, people from Multan, Lahore, Islamabad and other parts of the country expressed satisfaction over the arrangements. However, they demanded Jalkhad Road and Saiful Malook Lake Road should be opened.

Police have said owing to heavy snow it would take another month for Jalkhad Road to be opened while the road next to the lake would be open for jeeps within the next 10 to 12 days.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 11^th, 2016.