Summary
Content
18/12/05
Detailed Assessment (UNJLC/UNDSS) - Muzaffarabad to Kel
1) Muzaffarabad - Chilehana - Jura (Day 1)
- Muzaffarabad to Patika. In several spots, army engineers were working on the road with bulldozers. This caused some traffic delays. Heavy traffic noted in the afternoon and many traffic jams due to the narrow road. Refer to the Neelum Valley Road Assessment for road features.
- Chilehana and Jura. Crossed the Neelum river through the suspension bridge (N 34 24.455' - E 73 42.866'). Passable for trucks and buses. Between this bridge and Chilehana (N 34 23.545 - E 73 46.170' alt. 1130m) the road is narrow and rocky over the first half. Bulldozers again caused some delays. The rest of the road is better and sometimes exists in its original state.
- Arrived at Jura (N 34 29.382' - E 73 49.955' alt. 1254m) at 14:05 hours. Drive took 5 hs 20 min. Road between Chilehana and Jura is in very good general condition and is drivable also for cargo trucks.
2) Jura - Deviation to Kuttan - Kuttan (Day 1)
- Road is in its original condition almost all the way and passable for cargo trucks. There is a left turn to Kuttan (N 34 33.266' - E 73 50.605'). Arrived in Kuttan at17:00 hours (N 34 33.740' - E 73 48.294' alt. 1503m).
3) Kuttan - Kel - Kuttan (Day 2).
- Departure 08:45 hours, arrived 09:24 in Atmuquam (N 34 35.044' - E 73 54.047' alt. 1394m). 6 Km after is Lobeas village (N 34 41.282' - E 73 58.160' alt. 1579m). Road is very good for next 8 Km until Dawarian village. Then it worsens for 5 Km (rocky, risk of landslides, mud from water inundation that may become ice in winter). Afterwards the road is good with some ice and snow (which will be worse in January) for 1 Km up to Dudniel (N 34 42.330' - E 74 06.366' alt. 1842m). Then it deteriorates for 2 Km (dirt and some sand), subsequently improving for 8 Km up to Sharda (N 34 47.618' - E 74 10.962' alt. 1875 m). The next 12 Km up to Kel are dirt road, rocky, with more spots of ice and snow (heavy snowfall).
- Arrived in Kel (N 34 49.408' - E 74 21.072' alt. 2138 m) at 13:39 hours. Army unit (Brigade HQ) informed us that the area and the Kuttan - Kel road suffers from heavy snowfall in the winter months and that it is to be avoided.
Altitude difference between the locations is very varied.
4) Kuttan - Jura - Leswa bypass - Butila Butcitat (Day 3).
- Plan was to drive to Leswa and assess a secondary road from this location to Muzaffarabad. Passed Jura (45'), arrived at the Leswa bypass (N 34 27.592' - E 73 49.175' alt. 1183 m), turned right. Road goes up through the gunfire protection walls, narrow, rocky and only passable for 4X4 cars. Due to the ice on the road the team could only get to Butila Butcitat (N 34 27.655' - E 73 48.013' alt. 1528m).
- Team drove back to Muzaffarabad using the same road. From 8 km before Muzaffarabad there were 4 traffic jams due to heavy traffic and some road improvement works.