The work on a road from Mustak to Bagh and from Bara to Narey Baba in Tirah Valley has yet to be completed despite the passage of three years, reported Aaj News on Friday.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan inaugurated the work on the road in 2019 but little to no headway has been made.

The work on the road, a total stretch of 110 kms, has been divided between five contractors, who have complained time and again of funds not being released on time.

“Cameos Consultants were hired to oversee the project and they had very tough milestones set for the release of cash. For example, they would ask contractors to complete laying the road on a stretch of one km before they would release the funds. The contractors needed mobilisation funds, which were also not released and that delayed the work,” Khyber Highway Communication and Works Department Sub Division Officer Muhammad Shehzad told Aaj News.

“Even the rates pegged for the contractors are redundant and were set in 2017,” he added.

Before FATA was merged, contractors would receive funds before the work started, ensuring that construction did not stop. Now problems such as the release of funds and other departmental issues plague the area. The project has been funded by US Aid.

At least seven tribes live along this stretch of road, and their daily commute becomes longer by at least an hour as the road that exists now is more of a dirt track. This leads to a lot of dust pollution, which affects the health of the local population. People have protested the slow progress on this stretch, with some also planned in the coming days.

As many as 80,000 were internally displaced from Tirah Valley, as the area saw heavy fighting between two militant groups in 2013, according to United Nations Refugee Agency.

FATA’s Disaster Management Authority provided Rs0.4 million per household for those whose houses were completely destroyed and at least Rs0.16 million for those with partially destroyed houses.

According to estimates, at least 76,000 displaced people have made their way back to the valley.

When completed, this stretch of road will also aid tourism, since the beautiful valley is hard to access right now. Another key feature of the road is that it will connect the Orakzai and Kurram with each other, making it easier for people to travel between them.