Traders in Oghi want govt to re-carpet roads

MANSEHRA: The traders in Oghi on Saturday demanded the government to re-carpet all main roads that had

been in a dilapidated condition owing to the transportation of granite and other minerals from Shergarh and Tanawal areas of the district to markets in Punjab.

“Darband-Oghi-Mansehra and other arteries have been destroyed owing to transportation of granite and other minerals from here to Punjab and rest of the country,” Waqar Ahmad, a trade leader in Oghi, told reporters.

Flanked by a group of traders, he said that the local government’s representatives had met with the deputy director of the Mineral Department and demanded enforcement of strict rules to ensure

that truckers didn’t transport granite than that of the prescribed weight to markets in Punjab and the

rest of the country but to no avail.

“Because of the transportation of heavy granite rocks and other minerals the roads are in shambles and the government didn’t spend even a single penny on their rehabilitation and re-carpeting from royalty generated through mining,” Ahmad said.

Meanwhile, District Police Officer Shafiullah Khan Gandapur has warned traffic wardens of strict legal action if they fined taxicab drivers and motorists without any solid reason.

“I would never tolerate challan of taxicab drivers who earn livelihood for their families in a difficult situation, you should warn them first and if not then go to punitive measures,” he told the wardens during

his visit to traffic headquarters here.