Road project delay triggers protest

ALPURI: The residents here on Monday blocked the Alpuri-Bisham road in protest against the delay and alleged use of substandard material in the construction of the Karora-Ajmer road project in the remote Shangla district.

The protest was staged on the call of a local action committee. The closure of the road caused inconvenience to motorists and other commuters. The members of the committee, including Mohammad Naeem Khan Advocate, Awami National Party leader Mutawakil Khan, Tehsil Nazim Alpuri Waqar Ahmad Khan and other elders led the protesters.

Addressing the protesters, the speakers alleged that substandard material was being used in the construction of the road project, which was already facing delays. They said that the delay in the construction of the road had caused a host of issues for the local population. The speakers said the people would widen the protest if the project was not completed at the earliest besides ensuring the quality of work on the scheme.