SWAT: A young man, identified as Luqman, drowned in the Swat River on Sunday after falling from a makeshift chairlift in the Serai Mankyal area of Bahrain tehsil.
Luqman was using the locally-made chairlift to cross the river when he lost his balance due to the device’s instability and fell into the water. Despite efforts by locals to recover his body, they were unsuccessful.
This tragic incident highlights a recurring issue in the region. Following the catastrophic floods of 2010, which destroyed the bridges connecting villages along the river from Bahrain to Kalam, residents have relied on makeshift chairlifts to cross the dangerous river. These improvised chairlifts are often poorly constructed and lack safety measures, leading to numerous fatalities over the years.
Residents of Bahrain have expressed frustration over the continued absence of bridge reconstruction, despite repeated promises from successive governments. Akhtar Malak, a local resident, noted that 13 people have died from falling off the chairlift that connects their village to the main Kalam Road since the 2010 floods. “We used to have a proper bridge before the floods, but it was washed away. Despite numerous appeals, the bridge remains unrepaired,” he said.
Jan Mohammad, a village elder, described the dire situation: “We face many difficulties due to the lack of a proper bridge. The chairlift, which was set up by the villagers, is unsafe. Children and women are terrified to use it, and even men risk their lives each time they cross.”
The villagers lack the financial means to build a safer cable car system. The absence of a bridge continues to isolate the community, depriving them of basic services and economic opportunities. Repeated appeals to the government for action have yielded no results.
The residents of Serai Mankyal and surrounding areas are urgently calling on the government to rebuild the bridges that once connected their villages. They hope that by replacing the perilous chairlifts with safe, permanent infrastructure, further loss of life can be prevented.
“We can’t wait any longer,” Jan Mohammad emphasized. “The government must act now before more lives are lost. We need that bridge, and we need it soon.”
