Shaheer Ahmed
Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the long-delayed Gilgit-Skardu road, which will boost the tourism industry. The road network that connects Jaglot to the Karakoram highway is 167km long. The paperwork for the project started in 2009, whereas the work for this project was in 2017. The travel time through this road has been reduced from 8 to 3 hours, encouraging more tourists to witness the beauty of Skardu.
“The people of G-B will soon witness an unprecedented era of economic prosperity with revenue generation through tourism and employment opportunities,” said Prime Minister Imran Khan. Due to the dire conditions of the road, tourists would prefer traveling by-air to Skardu or visiting other areas in the north instead. With this new and improved road network, tourism from Gilgit to Skardu will increase and become cost-effective for tourists.
The new Gilgit to Skardu road has been upgraded by making various improvements, including widening and construction on parts where the road was missing. The old road used by travelers to reach Skardu was dangerous with sharp turns and narrow passages. It required highly skilled drivers, primarily locals familiar with the route. It was also known to be one of the most dangerous roads globally.
The up-gradation of Gilgit to Skardu road will enhance the comfortable road ride to locals and tourists by increasing its width from 3.6 meters to 7.3 meters and reducing the sharp curves. This construction was done by the FWO, allowing a smooth traffic flow. Considering people’s interest in visiting Skardu, traffic on the route, and the ratio of fatal accidents every year, upgrading the road was essential to provide a safe passage and boost tourism.
Minister for Planning, Development, Reforms, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar also said that the project will open up the doors for tourism, contribute to creating more job opportunities, and accrue social-economic impact for the region.
Pakistan is immensely rich in terms of beauty and landscapes. The government needs to promote tourism to such appealing areas of the north. With the improvement in the Gilgit-Skardu road structure, Pakistan’s economic activity is also expected to improve with the influx of tourism.
Also read: https://neemopani.com/skardu-airport-set-to-welcome-international-flights-to-boost-tourism/
