15 cable cars sealed in Abbottabad over safety concerns

ABBOTTABAD: At least 15 cable cars were sealed by the district administration in Havelian and Galiyat due to their poor conditions and lack of safety measures during the last three days.

Tehsildar Havelian Muhammad Ejaz along with technical team, tehsil municipal administration (TMA), Communication and Works Department (C&W) and revenue staff, took action against the cable cars for violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) during inspections. The cable cars were sealed at Puna, Harlan and Satora in Havelian tehsil, while two others were sealed in Kokal Bursain tehsil.

Assistant commissioners are currently conducting site visits alongside technical teams in their respective areas, ensuring strict action against any cable cars found in violation of SOPs. Assistant Commissioner Lubna Iqbal led a team comprising TMA, C&W, and revenue staff to inspect cable cars in various parts of Tehsil Havelian.

She evaluated the fitness of these cable cars and instructed relevant individuals to fully adhere to SOPs, guaranteeing the safety of citizens’ lives and property, while also ensuring the cable cars’ fitness.

Move causes problems for large number of people in Abbottabad

The Abbottabad district administration is strictly enforcing the law to safeguard the lives and property of citizens and prevent potential untoward incidents in the future.

However, these measures have caused problems for a large number of people in these areas. This is particularly evident as cable cars serve as the solitary mode of communication for residents inhabiting remote hilly regions. A multitude of individuals, including students, daily commuters, and the general public, heavily relied upon these cable cars for their transportation needs. The people have also shown concern over closure of the cable cars which is the only means of communication to hundreds of villages.

Sardar Gohar Zaman, Chairman of Tehreek-i-Hazara, urged the administration to reopen the Havelian Puna cable car, which serves as a connection for around two dozen villages and is extensively utilised by both students and the general public. He called upon the administration to establish alternative transportation arrangements for the affected people.

Public representatives from Union Council Deal and Nara staged a protest demonstration at Harlan chairlift site. They said that the closure of the chairlifts has created numerous problems for the local population.

Chairman of Village Council Diwali Sardar Asad Javed Khan, Vice President of Tehreek-i-Insaf Tehsil Havelian Sardar Munir Safdar, Chairman Sardar Rashid Barkat, Chairman of Village Council Gohra Abdul Rashid Awan, Chairman Bodla Sajid Qureshi, and Councilor Nawaz highlighted that the decision to take action against the chairlifts has been taken in the wake of the Battagram chairlift incident.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2023