The Karakuram Highway has been opened for traffic after hard work of the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), the National Highways Authority (NHA) and a Chinese company engaged in repair and maintenance of the Karakruam Highway between Thakote and Raikot. Photographs shared by Rehmat Karim who traveled on the KKH today and took these photographs of blockades caused by rock falls and rock-slides.
Fallen rocks liter the KKHThe KKH passes through the Hazara region of KPK before entering Gilgit-Baltistan at Bhasha and moving onward China’s Xinjiang region
Passengers helping the driver navigating his car through a pile of rocks
Rock slides are the most common cause of road blockage in this part of the countryPatches of road with smaller pieces of rocks are easy to lift, and often the passengers themselves clear the road in such areasSmall vehicles, cars, jeeps, can cross easily throughTransmission lines of electricity have also been destroyedA traveler standing on the pile of rocks blocking the KKHMany villages are without electricity in the Kohistan area due to destruction of electricity pylonsRock fall and landslide are frequent on the KKH mostly during rainfallThe KKH is the economic lifeline for the people of Gilgit and Baltistan. Its closure for longer periods often leads to shortage of edible and other products in the GB region. An alternate route has been created through Babusar Pass, but it generally remains closed during the wintersThe Karakuram Highway had been constructed by Pakistani and Chinese engineers by cutting through hard rocksMany people believe that due to access use of explosives during construction of the KKH, the mountains have become cracked and vulnerable
Pamir Times is the pioneering community news and views portal of Gilgit – Baltistan, Kohistan, Chitral and the surrounding mountain areas. It is a voluntary, not-for-profit, non-partisan and independent venture initiated by the youth.
