Peshawar - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, has written a letter to the Federal Minister for Communications, expressing grave concern over the continued neglect of the N-95 Kalam Road and the unacceptable delay in its permanent rehabilitation.
Critical Economic and Tourism Corridor
In his letter, the Chief Minister emphasized that the N-95 is one of the province's most critical tourism and economic corridors, serving as the principal route to Kalam Valley and providing essential connectivity to thousands of residents, businesses, and visitors. He recalled that the catastrophic floods of 2022 had severely damaged the highway at seven different locations. While temporary measures restored limited traffic flow, large sections of the road remain in an alarming state of disrepair despite the passage of four years.
Extent of Damage
The Chief Minister pointed out that a cumulative stretch of approximately 4,887 meters remains critically damaged at Qandeel, Damlai Madyan, Bahrain Bazaar, Ramait Bahrain, Hawai Ramait, Asrait Kalam, and Bodai Kamar Kalam. The prolonged failure to restore these sections has subjected local communities, transporters, traders, and tourists to daily hardship, avoidable delays, financial losses, and dangerous traveling conditions.
He said that the deteriorating condition of the road is not merely an infrastructure issue but a matter with serious implications for public safety, tourism, commerce, and the wider regional economy. Stressing that Kalam ranks among Pakistan's premier tourist destinations, the Chief Minister maintained that the permanent rehabilitation and upgrading of the N-95 can no longer be deferred and must be treated as an urgent national priority to guarantee safe, reliable, and uninterrupted access to the region.
Call for Urgent Action
The CM called upon the federal government and the National Highway Authority (NHA) to prioritize completion of all outstanding rehabilitation works and ensure that every damaged section is fully restored before the conclusion of the current tourist season. He further said that if financial or administrative constraints prevent the NHA from delivering the project within the required timeframe, the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be granted the necessary No Objection Certificate without delay to undertake and finance the remaining works in the larger public interest.
Intervention Requested
Underscoring the urgency of the matter, the Chief Minister urged the Federal Minister for Communications to intervene decisively and ensure that immediate, tangible action is taken. He stressed that the people of the region, the tourism sector, and businesses dependent on this vital transport artery cannot be expected to endure further delays, and that the restoration of the N-95 Kalam Road must proceed without any additional procrastination.
