A Tunnel for the Future: Ensuring Safe and Uninterrupted Connectivity on the Gilgit–Skardu Expressway
THE Gilgit–Skardu Expressway stands as one of the most remarkable
infrastructure projects undertaken in Gilgit-Baltistan. It has dramatically
reduced travel time between Gilgit and Skardu, strengthened regional
integration, facilitated trade, and opened Baltistan to an unprecedented influx
of domestic and international tourists. Today, the highway is not merely a road;
it is the economic and social lifeline connecting the twin regions of Gilgit
and Baltistan.
Yet, despite its immense significance, one critical weakness continues to
undermine its reliability. The Astak Nala–Malopa section in Roundu Valley
remains chronically vulnerable to landslides, rockfalls, flash floods, and
slope failures. Almost every year, this notorious stretch becomes impassable,
bringing traffic to a standstill, endangering precious lives, disrupting
tourism, and interrupting the movement of goods and emergency services. While
the tireless efforts of the road maintenance authorities deserve appreciation,
repeated debris clearance provides only temporary relief. It does not eliminate
the underlying geological hazard.
The only practical and lasting solution lies in constructing a robust,
scientifically engineered tunnel bypassing this unstable section. Such a
tunnel would transform the expressway into a truly all-weather corridor,
ensuring safe and uninterrupted travel throughout the year.
The urgency of this project is becoming increasingly evident because
traffic on the Gilgit–Skardu Expressway is growing at an unprecedented pace.
Tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan has expanded enormously over the past few years,
attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors eager to experience the
breathtaking landscapes of Baltistan, Deosai, and the mighty Karakoram Range.
Every tourist season witnesses a substantial increase in vehicular movement
along this strategic route.
Equally significant, though often overlooked, is another factor
contributing to the growing traffic volume. Owing to the frequent cancellation
and prolonged suspension of flights to Gilgit because of adverse weather
conditions, an increasing number of residents of the Gilgit region now travel
by road to Skardu Airport, whose flights to Islamabad generally operate
with greater regularity and reliability. Likewise, many passengers arriving
from Islamabad prefer to land at Skardu and continue their journey to Gilgit by
road. Consequently, the Gilgit–Skardu Expressway has assumed an additional role
as a dependable airport access corridor for a large segment of the population.
This dual function—as a premier tourist highway and as a vital link to
reliable air travel—has greatly increased traffic density. Any closure of the
Astak Nala section therefore has far-reaching consequences, stranding tourists,
delaying patients requiring urgent medical attention, interrupting commercial
transportation, and causing travellers to miss scheduled flights.
These concerns are not merely theoretical. They are borne out by personal
experience.
Approximately two and a half months ago, I travelled to Thowar in Roundu
to attend the Fateha Khawani of a close relative. While returning the
same night, our vehicle reached the landslide-prone stretch near Astak Nala,
probably around Malopa. Strong winds were blowing, and the entire area was
engulfed in dense clouds of dust. Visibility had deteriorated to such an extent
that the road ahead had virtually disappeared from sight. Every passing moment
carried the fear that fresh rocks or debris might tumble down from the towering
mountains above. Fortunately, fate was kind, and no fresh landslide occurred.
Driving at an extremely slow pace, we eventually managed to negotiate the
dangerous stretch safely.
Barely six weeks later, I again travelled from Rawalpindi to Skardu by
air before proceeding towards Gilgit by road. Once more, we encountered the
same notorious location. We were informed that a brief spell of rain only a few
hours earlier had triggered another landslide, and the authorities had just
succeeded in clearing the accumulated debris. Even then, crossing the affected
section remained an anxious and nerve-racking experience.
Subsequently, I had occasion to traverse this highway on three more
journeys between Skardu and Islamabad and back. On every trip, the same
vulnerable locations remained a constant source of apprehension, vividly
illustrating how precarious travel continues to be despite the otherwise
excellent standard of the expressway.
Infrastructure development should not merely focus on reducing travel
time; it must also guarantee safety, reliability, and resilience against
natural hazards. Investment in a tunnel at Astak Nala should therefore be
viewed not as an expenditure but as a long-term investment in public safety,
tourism promotion, economic growth, and regional connectivity. The cost of
constructing such a tunnel would be more than offset by the savings arising
from reduced maintenance expenditure, uninterrupted transportation, prevention
of accidents, and enhanced commercial activity.
Gilgit-Baltistan is rapidly emerging as one of Pakistan's foremost
tourism destinations. However, sustaining this growth requires infrastructure
capable of withstanding the region's challenging topography and increasingly
unpredictable climatic conditions. The Astak Nala bottleneck has remained the
Achilles' heel of the Gilgit–Skardu Expressway for far too long.
The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan and the Federal Government would do well
to commission a comprehensive geological and engineering feasibility study for
the construction of tunnels at the most hazardous landslide-prone locations,
particularly the Astak Nala–Malopa section. Such an initiative would not only
save lives but also ensure uninterrupted connectivity, strengthen public
confidence, facilitate tourism, and contribute significantly to the long-term
socio-economic development of Gilgit-Baltistan.
The Gilgit–Skardu Expressway is already a remarkable achievement.
Completing it with strategically located tunnels at its most vulnerable points
would elevate it into a world-class mountain highway worthy of the spectacular
region it serves.
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