Land Acquisition Finally Ordered to Rebuild 26-Km Road Destroyed in 2022 Floods

Hazara Commissioner Fayyaz Ali Shah has directed the deputy commissioner of Lower Kohistan to acquire land for the reconstruction of the 26 kilometre Dubair Ranowalia Road, which was destroyed during the 2022 flash floods.

The instructions were issued through an official notification. It stated that the land is required for public purpose and at public expense to rebuild the Dubair Ranowalia Road.

The commissioner’s office has forwarded a copy of the notification to the Senior Member Board of Revenue, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, under Section 6 of the Land Acquisition Act of 1894.

Funding already approved

The World Bank has already released Rs. 500 million for land acquisition to reconstruct the 26 kilometre road. The road was swept away nearly three years ago during severe flash floods.

The damaged road serves as a key link for Dubair, Ranowalia, and nearby villages.

Residents continue protest

Residents of Dubair, Ranowalia, and surrounding areas have been holding a protest sit in. They have warned that they will not end their demonstration until reconstruction work begins.

Local elder Malik Aurangzeb welcomed the commissioner’s directive. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, he said the people have staged a sit in for the past seven weeks to demand the rebuilding of the road.

He said the district administration, Wapda, and police held talks with protesters after they began the sit in following the diversion of water from the Dubair dam, which led to the suspension of electricity generation. However, he said the protesters rejected verbal assurances and demanded visible work on the road.

Aurangzeb said residents are angry because the 2022 floods claimed lives and destroyed infrastructure, yet reconstruction has not started.

He added that the protesters will end their sit in once work on the road begins.