Strategy devised to facilitate tourists during holidays

Over a dozen depts, including Pak Army, to ensure all arrangements

RAWALPINDI:

A comprehensive tourism plan has been devised in order to better facilitate the large number of tourists who flock Malika-e-Kohsar Murree during the Eid holiday season.

Sources said a full dress rehearsal will be held today [Tuesday] on the plan prepared under the leadership of Additional Deputy Commissioner Captain (retd) Qasim Ejaz.

More than a dozen departments including Pakistan Army and police will ensure all arrangements in the tourist district during the huge influx of tourists during the Eid holidays.

According to sources, 10 modern cameras have been installed to count vehicles entering Murree, six tourist facilitation centres have been set up at important places and the health department has put hospitals on high alert to deal with any emergency.

The sources said at least 4,500 vehicles can be parked in Murree and the decision to allow the arrival of excess vehicles will be made by a committee headed by the district police officer while the restriction of entry of only 8,000 vehicles at a time will also remain in place.

A senior officer of the Murree district administration told The Express Tribune that like every year, a comprehensive tourism plan has been prepared for the district on the auspicious occasion of Eid.

The additional deputy commissioner has prepared the plan by holding meetings with the Pakistan Army, traffic police, departments of health, highways, forest, finance, civil defence, Rescue 1122, Tourism Police, Punjab Information Technology Board, the business community, cantonment authority, local volunteers, Hotels Association and others.

The officer said that an awareness campaign will be launched at all entry and exit points from the second day of Eid in which handbills and other materials will be shared with tourists to help them avoid any kind of trouble.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Captain (retd) Qasim Ejaz while talking to The Express Tribune said that a control room has been established in Jinnah Hall in collaboration with all the stakeholders.

“All institutions will be on high alert to help tourists. Officials of Rescue 1122, Tourism Police, Traffic Police and Highway Department will play the role of the frontline team,” he said.

The additional deputy commissioner said that the district administration has strong connections with the Pakistan Army and Meteorological Department. “An effective comprehensive plan has been formulated to solve all other problems including landslides, over the capacity of vehicles and traffic jams on Murree roads in changing weather conditions,” he explained.

He added that the district administration held a meeting with the Murree Hotel Owners Association and asked them to reduce the hotel rents so that tourists can enjoy their holidays to the fullest.

Regarding parking and entry of vehicles, he said, the Rawalpindi commissioner has constituted a committee, headed by DPO Murree. “If the committee thinks that more than 8,000 vehicles can enter Murree, then more vehicles will be allowed to enter,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2023.