Murree preps for snowy tourist season

Instates coaster service, deploys police personnel to limit entry of vehicles.

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RAWALPINDI:

The Meteorological Department has forecast the first spell of heavy winter rains, accompanied by snowfall in Murree, from January 8 to January 15.

To better manage the influx of tourists during the snowy season, the district administration has approved the start of the "Free Shuttle Service Coasters" to reduce vehicle entry into Murree during this period.

A total of 30 coasters have been allocated for the service.

This free service will start from GT Road Toll Plaza and Motorway Toll Plaza and go up to Murree. Tourist families' vehicles will be parked near these two Toll Plazas.

This service will be available 24 hours a day.

Once the number of tourists in Murree reaches 50,000, it will be completely free.

To avoid accidents during the snowfall season, hotels, restaurants, and guest houses across Murree will be equipped with gas cylinders. Strict instructions have been issued to install water heating systems in hotels while banning the installation of gas heaters.

Water heaters are environment-friendly and do not cause explosions or accidents. They provide hot air and hot water in the rooms, and the cost is also low.

Additionally, 19 tourist facility centres, which are operational 24/7, have become functional in Murree and its surrounding areas and 30 additional Civil Defence uniformed personnel from Rawalpindi have also been deployed. Seven snow removal vehicles and a large amount of salt have also been acquired to remove snow from roads. The snowfall season is expected to continue till March 15, 2025.

Murree Deputy Commissioner Agha Zaheer Shirazi will directly supervise the Murree snowfall plan. He has been reinforced with additional traffic wardens from Rawalpindi to ensure traffic flow. Meanwhile police officers from Murree police stations have been transferred to the Murree Police Station in Rawalpindi Division.

Moreover, computerised counting of vehicles entering from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and all routes to Murree from toll plazas has been instated. If the number of vehicles exceeds a set amount, only-male travellers will be stopped from entering.

The leaves of all employees performing duties in Murree, NHA, Traffic, Police, Civil Defense and Forests departments have been cancelled due to the snowfall season.

Punjab Disaster Management Authority has also issued guidelines to all tourist families visiting Murree during the snowfall season, under which tourists have been instructed to fill up the petrol tank of their vehicles, bring warm clothes, jackets, umbrellas, raincoats, chains for vehicle tyres, dry fruits, juices and other items that may be needed in case of an emergency.