NEELUM (Kashmir English): The Azad Kashmir Highways Department has successfully restored the Ratti Gali road in Neelum district, which was severely damaged by a flash flood on August 14.
The Highway Department statement said that the restoration work was completed in 12 days, which has enabled the evacuation of over 85 vehicles stuck at the Ratti Gali base camp.
Due to the cloudburst and flash flood in the valley, more than 2 kilometers of the Ratti Gali road was washed away.
The Highways Department, district administration, Pakistan Army, and citizens worked together to restore the road.
Meanwhile, the department has started constructing an alternative safe road to Ratti Gali Lake, away from the affected area.
Deputy Director of Highways Altaf Awan said that the Highways Department has continued to work to construct an alternative and safe road for Ratti Gali from Dowarian. Soon, Ratti Gali Road will be constructed, thereby providing travel facilities to tourists, he said.
Following the flash floods on August 14, around 800 tourists were stranded at Ratti Gali, who were safely evacuated to Neelum Dowarian after a successful rescue operation.
Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq hailed the operation as a major rescue operation in the history of Azad Kashmir, in which SDMA, district administration, Pakistan Army, and police played a pivotal role.
The PM stated that the AJK government has made complete arrangements for the accommodation and food of the tourists, while their vehicles, which are stuck in Ratti Gali, will be retrieved.
