It has been well over a month since the shortest and most frequently used road between Peshawar and Hangu, leading through the tribal area of Darra Adam Khel, was closed due to a military operation against Islamic militants/Taliban.
The road passes through the Kohat Tunnel where, earlier this year, a short-lived military operation was launched and the militants were driven away from the tribal community whose population was made to vacate their houses and shut down their businesses.
As of today, the road remains closed and passengers are obliged to follow the longer route leading through Nizampur near Attock. This is the cause of considerable inconvenience for many natives of the Kohat Hangu districts, mainly students and small business owners, to frequent between the two stations.
It normally takes two hours to travel between Peshawar and Hangu by public transport via the normal route leading through the Kohat Tunnel. The alternative route via Nizampur, however, takes about 5 hours along a road that is safer but rather rough and bumpy than the usual Peshawar-Hangu road.
The Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Fitar is just days ahead (expected on the 1st of October) and government officials have assured the public that the Kohat Tunnel will soon be opened for general transport. Many students and residents of Hangu have already made it to their hometown via the longer route. Government employees are about to go on holidays from 30th September 2008.
