Daily Times

As the scorching summer fades with temperature dropping gradually after recent rainfall, the enchanting Usho Valley in Upper Kalam welcomes a refreshing change, signaling the start of winter in tourists’ paradise Swat.

This unique tourism transformation mostly caused by better roads connectivity has started attracting influx of adventure sports enthusiasts and eco-tourists along with families to experience the mesmerizing beauty of Swat valley in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Among them is Naveed Farooq, an Assistant Professor at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, who took on a journey with his family to Mahudhand Lake at Usho Valley, exploring it by boating in the serene mountainous environment.

“Visiting famous Mahudhand Lake was my dream. A big thanks to my Papa for fulfilling my dream,” said his daughter, Laiba Farooq with sparkling eyes and joyous face seeing the picturesque setting in the surrounding. The family spent whole day boating as laughter mingled with playful splashes of green trout fish darting beneath the surface. The cool breeze blowing from Usho mountain amused them, creating a tranquil atmosphere in a rare feeling of retreat from tumults of daily life. The increasing number of visitors to Kalam Valley can be largely attributed to recently constructed Swat Expressway that opened up Malakand divsion for tourism. This 81-kilometer marvel, stretching from Karnal Sher Khan interchange in Swabi to Chakdara in Lower Dir, has significantly eased access to Malakand Division, transforming it into a thriving tourism hub.

Local businesses running carpet, honey and dry fruits businesses have seen a surge in sales as adventure seekers flock to Swat, Dir, Shangla, Chitral and Buner districts, courtesy to improved roads connectivity.

The proposed Phase II extension of the Swat Expressway, connecting Chakdara to Ferozpur Madain upper Swat, promises to further elevate region’s tourism potential and open up access to destinations like Gabin Jabba, Jazz Banda and others making them easily reachable even during winter. Professor Naveed Farooq said Swat was going to be center of winter tourism due to its unique seven features; Swat Expressway, trout fish, river rafting, paragliding, trekking, snowfall and skiing. He said roads leading to Upper Kalam and Mahudhand lake besides Kumrat, Dir Upper and Kalash Chitral are in dilapidated condition and require massive repair to facilitate tourists and lovers of Ghandhara Art. “Repairing or reconstructing these roads would further boost tourism in the area.”

Omair Khattak, General Manager Investment, KP Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) said that all four planned Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZ) would be linked with Hazara and Swat Expressways for promotion of adventure sports and ecotourism. “Linking ITZ Ganool Manshera, ITZ Mankiyal Swat, ITZ Madaklasht and ITZ Thandyani to expressways would make KPk a tourism hub.”

He said ITZ Ghanool – a pilot project worth a proposed cost of Rs5.5 billion and Mankiyal with an estimated cost of Rs2.9 billion would be developed first due to better roads connectivity and sustainable tourism potential. “Rules and regulations for Mankiyal and Ghanool ITZs have been prepared that would be built on patterns of ITZs of Malaysia and Indonesia. These ITZs are expected to create 200,000 direct and indirect jobs and US$ 2.8 billion investment.”

To reduce load on existing tourists destinations of Kalam, Madain, Malam Jabba in Swat, Kaghan and Naran in Mansehra and Nathiagali and Thandyani in Abbottabad, construction work on several roads projects has either been completed or was near completion. After approving extension of Swat Expressway (Phase II) from Chakdara to Fatehpur Madain Swat costing an estimated Rs 37 billion, the KPk government has expedited work on 22 kilometers Mankiyal-Banda Sarai Road to connect Mankiyal ITZ with Swat Expressway. Similarly, 23.3 kilometers Abbottabad-Thandyani Road costing Rs 3 billion is also a part of the government integrated tourism development project to link ITZ Thandyani with Hazara Motorway.

As the design of 40 kilometers long Kalam-Kumrat Road connecting Swat with Upper Dir was almost complete, it would ease out tourists to reach proposed Cable Car Project constructed between Madaklast Chitral and Kumrat. The completion of 52 kilometers Patrak-Kumrat Tori Oba Road and 16 kilometers Thal Jahaz Bandai Road in Upper Dir have enabled thousands of tourists to explore mesmerizing beauty of Kumrat.

“All these project would massively promote tourism in this region,” Omair Khattak said as he also mentioned to approval of Karakuram Highway dualization from Hassanabdal to Mansehra district to connect Siran and Bugemung valleys with Mansehra-Naran-Jalkot Road and onward to KKH. He said 47.5 kilometer long Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) expressway between Peshawar and Torkham Border has been planned in erstwhile FATA. “This three-year project would be executed jointly by the federal and KPK government with the assistance of World Bank. It would develop infrastructure, promote tourism and medium enterprises and create around 100,000 new jobs.”

As roads connectivity improves, 415,731 tourists visited different scenic sites of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only on last Eidul Azha and the days are not far off when this number would soar much more to promote economic activity, tourism and hospitality industry in Pakistan.