Soon Valley's broken road rebuilt after 15 years

30km stretch under reconstruction; project seen as revival of tourism

KHUSHAB:

After a 15-year delay, construction has finally resumed on the 30-kilometre Uchhali-Peel road in the Soon Valley, a route that had deteriorated into a dangerous stretch of stones, potholes, and mud. Once a vital link for tourism and trade, the road's prolonged neglect had crippled local livelihoods.

Despite connecting directly to the National Highway, the artery linking Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad, this vital route had become virtually unusable, choking the economic and social lifeline of the valley.

Local social worker Muhammad Mumtaz Malik recalled better days, when Uchhali's pristine waters and the valley's natural charm drew visitors from across Pakistan.

"There was a time when cars lined up here every weekend. The hotels, shops, and restaurants thrived," he said. "But when the road crumbled, the tourists vanished and so did our livelihoods."

Over the years, countless accidents occurred along the treacherous route.

During the rainy season, ambulances carrying critical patients would get stuck in the mud, leading to preventable deaths. "This road wasn't just an inconvenience - it was a death trap," Mumtaz added.

According to local elder Malik Qadir Bakhsh, repeated promises from elected representatives brought no relief.

"Every election, candidates for MNA and MPA positions vowed to rebuild this road. Their glossy posters hung beside the very potholes they ignored," he said bitterly. "Three generations have watched this road collapse and still, nothing changed."

But hope resurfaced when Attorney General of Pakistan Malik Mansoor Usman Awan, a native of the area, took notice.

"This road connects not just two towns — it connects lives, economies, and provinces," he remarked after receiving detailed reports of accidents, losses, and public appeals.

Awan personally took the case to the highest levels of the Punjab government, arguing that local grants were insufficient to address the scale of devastation. His persistent advocacy led to a historic approval of over Rs3 billion for complete reconstruction — not just patchwork repairs, but a new, fully carpeted highway built to modern standards.

Soon after, heavy machinery rolled into the valley. Bulldozers, rollers, and cranes filled the once-silent route as teams of engineers worked around the clock. Local leader Malik Bilal Awan of Sodhi Jewali described the transformation as "nothing short of a miracle."

"After 15 years of despair, we finally see hope. The dust and mud are giving way to progress. Malik Mansoor Usman Awan has turned a dream into reality," he said.

The project has sparked a wave of optimism. Tourism, trade, and employment are expected to surge once the road is completed.