GIlGIT, Aug 19 (APP): Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan arrived in Gilgit to visit flood-affected areas and inspected the damages caused by recent torrential rains and floods. During his visit he inspected the washed-away Satak Bridge on the Jaglot-Skardu Road and reviewed the ongoing restoration work.
Speaking on the occasion the minister said that the National Highway Authority (NHA) with the help of heavy machinery, worked round the clock to restore two-way traffic on the Skardu Road in record time. He directed that waterfall streams should be diverted underneath the road to ensure the safety of both the highways and the passengers.
He added that the NHA and FWO jointly carried out services on the damaged roads and vowed to continue the mission of road restoration. The minister acknowledged that road infrastructure in the northern areas had suffered large-scale damages but assured that NHA officials were fully active, with repair and construction work underway day and night.
Abdul Aleem Khan further stated that the federal government was in close coordination with the provincial government and pledged that restoration would be completed soon. He also confirmed that traffic had been restored on several other roads of Gilgit-Baltistan, while repair work continued at some sections.
Expressing grief over the losses caused by heavy rains and floods, the federal minister issued on-site directives to senior officials and appreciated their performance. The Federal Secretary for Communications and senior officers briefed him on the latest situation.