'Report on the Development of the Baluch-Persian Caravan Route and on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts, for the year 1899-1900' [‎12v] (24/64)

REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BALTTCH-PERSIAN CARAVAN ROUTE AND
20
Imperial grant, amounting to Rs. 93,000, spread over three years, was provided for this
purpose. Out of this sum Rs. 18,630 goes annually towards meeting the cost of the extia
establishments which are needed, leaving a balance of Rs. 19,338 available for expenditure on
Public Works connected with the caravan route, as follows
1899- 1900*
1900- 1901
loni-i on?!
Es. a. p.
24,600 0 0
12,364 0 0
10 4 A A
I will now proceed to describe, in detail, the method in which the public works grant
of Rs. 24,600 for the year under review has been employed.
49. In view of the importance attached to the question of improving the facilities for
the carriage of goods between Nusbki and Quetta, it was only natural that part of the year s
allotment should he devoted to this purpose. Levy postsf were accordingly built at Girdi
Talah, Tillera and Kishingi, and a good camel track was carried at an easy gradient across
the Kurd Barak and Kishingi Kotals.J A katcha road § from Girdi Talab to Nushki is
all that is now required to complete the communications between these two places.
Complaints having reached me that the Kishingi water-supply runs low in summer, I
have had a new well sunk there. This well is being fitted with a patent water-lifting
apparatus and also with an iron trough for watering horses and camels.
50. Of the several improvements which have been made to the caravan road, west of
Nushki, foremost in importance comes the katcha road which has been carried, during the
winter, from Nushki through Dalbandin, Merui and Saindak to Hurmak, the first stage
beyond Killa Robat on the Persian side of the frontier. I do not hesitate to say that of all
the improvements which have been made to the Nushki-Seistan trade route during the last
three years, none will be found to exercise a greater inHuence in popularizing the trade
route than this road. It used to be no uncommon thing for Krayakashes to complain that
they needed the services of guides between certain stages, that their camels were put to an
utxiuly severe strain by long marches over belts of sand, and that, while on some sections of
the road, the water supply and camel grazing were deficient, on the other sections the
gradients were severe.|] tn realigning^! the trade route my aim has been to avoid the defects
pointed out by Krayakashes and to shorten the distance to the frontier as much as was
practicable. A reference to the sketch map annexed to this report will show that the road,
as realigned, now runs straight from the Nushki bazar to Ahmedwal and thence along the
loot of the Garokin Hill to .VIall, thus effecting a saving, in the first two stages, of no less than
seven miles. From Mall the katcha road follows the old track as far as Chah Sandan, the
first stage beyond Merui. At ('hah Sandan the new route quits the old caravan track and
heading almost due west it runs south of the Koh-i-Sultan range, through Tratoh Kundi,
Mashki Chali and Makak, to Saindak, avoiding Amir Chah and the sandy desert which lies
north of the Koh-i-Sultan mountains. From Saindak to Kirtaka the old track is adhered to ;
but from Kirtaka on to Killa Robat the new road follows the Daman track, north of the
Kachi Koh, Lar Koh hills, discovered by me in the winter of 1898-99.** From Killa Robat
on to Hurmak, where the katcha road terminates, the only track available is the old one
wnich passes near the Malik Siah Ziarat.
51. The distance from Nushki to Robat by the present road is 372 miles, as compared
to distance of 406 miles by the old route; thus the new road effects a saving in mileage of no
less than 34 miles, reducing the distance from Nushkiff to Meshed from 964 miles’to 920
miles. From Quetta to Merui, and again from Mashki Chah on to Hurmak, the alignment
which the katcha road follows is undoubtedly the best one that can be selected, hut’ I am
of opinion that we wiU find it to our advantage to again realign the road between Merui
an ( l Mashki Chah so as to make it run south of Chah Sandantf to Tratoh,and north of Kundi
to Mashki Chah. Ihe maps§§ we have of the country south of the Koh-i-Sultan ran^e are
wholly unreliable; it is therefore difficult to say, with accuracy, what would be the savino- in
mileage which would he gained by following the route I propose from Merui to Musl^i-i-
** tablifih “ e . nt8 tHvin ? teen sanctioned with effect from 1st December 3899, the sum available in the first
year for Public works is naturally 'arger than that for the years 1900-1S01, 1901-1902, *
t These Levy posts contain travellers’ quarters and Baniabs’ shops.
-nl/r. Puljlic Work. 6 "" ^ ^ ^ ^ “
§ Firfe paragraph 13 of this Appendix.
|| All the defects I note were much exaggerated by Krayakashes.
»si.’.-'s"? " r *• 1898 - 99 ’
# * T\de my Administration Report for last year, paragraph 47 (Appendix II).
■»•+And the distance from Quetta to Meshed from 1,045 miles to 1,011 miles.
the existin^wel'lg'a^Chah'san^in'an^Kandf. 01 ^ ^ ^ 4 ’ 00 ° * a11 ’ C ° m P elled me to * ke Vantage of
to the'south of the true pos^Pou^itwcupies. 110 ^' ^ one ' lnch ‘ to,four ' mile ma P ^ows Kundi placed rather too much