Development work has been resumed at Gorah Hill Station, which had been halted, in the middle of Decemebr 2011, due to stoppage of funds by former Secretery, Tourism, Pir Bux Jamali. He had stopped release of Rs 185 million of Gorakh Hills Development Authrouity (GHDA).
After transfer of Jamali, new Secretaruy, Safdar Shah, has released the funds to GHDA and work at the site has been resumed, sources said. They said that due to stoppage of funds, GHDA could not even clear the road to the tourist resort which had been blocked by landslide.
"GHDA had initiated the various works including contrsution of huts, canteen, tuc shop and others on the site a few months back, government contratcors were enegaged in these works but when they heard that funds had been stopped, they had halted the work", an offical told this scribe.
When contacted, Director General GHDA Engineer Nazeer Chakrani said that funds have now been released and contarctors have restarted work on the site. He said that he met Minister for Tourism Mohammad Ali Malkani and told him about former Secreatry Jamali's attitude. He said that contractors have staretd work on the major road, which was blocked. When this road is cleared then other work would be started on the site.
He said that to avoid landslidings, the GHDA has made a scheme, of a bypass, to reach Gorakh Hills station which would be sent to higher authorities for final approval. He said that he would visit the Gorakh hills site in a couple of days and, on return, would brief the media. Gorakh Hills station is located in Dadu district, at an altitude of 5688 feet above sea level and has temperature range of 15 to 16 degrees centigrade even in summer season. The first development work was initiated in 1989.