ABHA: A total of 359 people have died and 1,522 sustained serious injuries during the past 26 years in car accidents at the Wadi Dela mountain pass in the Asir region. This 44-km stretch of road is a key route connecting the Kingdom’s southwest to the rest of the country and the neighboring Yemen.

The pass, which is considered to have been built according to international standards, is very steep and has been the scene of many fatal accidents, which the authorities have not been able to curb. Despite its dangerous nature, the number of drivers using the road is steadily increasing. An average of 6,000 vehicles use the road daily.

After 25 years of work on the pass, the Ministry of Transport announced last June that the project was near completion. Since then, 31 people have lost their lives and 69 others have been injured in car accidents at the spot.

A number of citizens believe the project has been undertaken without any consideration for the terrain’s mountainous features, and say bad planning might open the door for new accusations, especially if more tragic accidents take place due to falling rocks.

Arab News visited the pass only to discover that the road has become more perilous than before. The new road has steep detours, leading to narrow tunnels that cannot accommodate a large and a small car simultaneously.

The only difference one notices is that the new tunnels have lights. The old tunnels, though unlighted, were more spacious. Laser lights are used from above to light the road.

A frightening feature of the road is the likelihood of falling rocks. Most drivers speed through the pass despite the lurking dangers.

Most of the road users are families escaping to the low altitude coastal areas, which are warmer than the Asir mountains where the weather is cold, on weekends.

In repeated press statements, the Ministry of Transport insists the road, which will be completed by the end of the year, has been constructed according to international specifications.

The ministry does not think the road is to be blamed for traffic accidents. It instead blames drivers for not observing speed limits and overtaking at danger spots.

Sharaf Ridah Al-Husseini, director of the Road Department at the ministry, said all major accidents on the road were caused by reckless driving. He underlined the importance of setting up a traffic outpost to increase patrols as recommended by a committee established by the Asir governorate to investigate accidents on the road.

Director of the Civil Defense Gen. Saad Al-Harithy has a different viewpoint. He believes dangers in the long pass will continue as long as the project is not completed. He also called for the building of concrete barriers between the road and the mountain to protect it from falling rock. He said the new project should consider arranging the drainage of floodwaters.

According to Al-Harithy, the road’s numerous exits allow citizens to go out and sit at the banks of the valley thus exposing themselves to the dangers of flash floods.

Wadis, as they are called in Arabic, are dry ravines that are common in arid climates. They can sit for months, even years, with little or no water. Then, often quite suddenly, a downpour — sometimes kilometers away in the mountains out of sight — sends a powerful torrent of turgid, muddy floodwater down the ravines, sweeping away anything in its path, including livestock, people, vehicles, trees, ill-placed housing constructed since the last flood in an area, and bridges.

The flooding of April 2005 still lingers in the memory of many residents. Several villages lost residents, had their approach roads destroyed, making it difficult for rescue workers to reach these places. People were so frightened by that they were begging fire department workers not to proceed lest they too should be overtaken by a flash flood.

Col. Abdullah Al-Qarni, official spokesman for Asir police, insists that speeding is the main cause of accidents on the road. He said a large number of signboards were placed along the road, warning drivers about the dangers. Some drivers simply fail to pay heed.

Residents of the region, however, say the road is to blame for accidents. Many did not buy the claim that speeding drivers were the cause of accidents, particularly after two accidents involving buses two weeks ago.

The road was completely damaged in 1982 due to flash floods, and SR450 million was allotted to rebuild it. The work is 71 percent complete; the remaining 29 percent is to be completed by the end of this year.