Murree's snowy weather draws crowds

Sudden snowstorm exposes gaps in road maintenance, coordination among local agencies

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RAWALPINDI:

The continuous snowfall has created a craze for thousands of tourists in Murree. A large number of vehicles were entered in the stunning city to enjoy pleasant weather, as per forecast by the MET office.

Murree Mall Road, Jhiga Gali, Ayubia, Kashmir Point and Ghora Gali were observed as the most visited points. Snowfall continued from time to time and the temperature of the city also dropped which led to an increase in cold. For the convenience of tourists, additional personnel have been deployed in Murree. Traffic police, the local administration and other allied departments remained vigilant about massive movement of touring lot.

CTO Mughees Ahmed Hashmi was personally active in the field and was supervising all traffic arrangements. A number of vehicles were assisted by the traffic personnel in pushing out from slippage. The CTO congratulated the traffic wardens for performing their duties efficiently during the extremely cold weather.

Regarding the snowfall in Murree, a traffic advisory was issued by him, the CTO said that tourists should come with a fully fitted and four-wheel drive vehicle and take necessary precautionary measures while traveling to Murree.

He urged the tourists to avoid parking their vehicles on main roads under any circumstances.

The CTO further requested the citizens not to create double lines under any circumstances during snowfall.

Thursday's unexpected spell of snow blanketed the region, catching local administrations off guard. The snowfall sent Rawalpindi and Murree's district authorities scrambling to manage the situation.

Despite the government setting up 19 facilitation centres for tourists, only Rescue 1122 personnel were present, with no representatives from other responsible agencies.

In response to the emergency, the Civil Defence Department deployed 10 additional volunteers to Murree. However, the central control room at Jinnah Hall in Murree lacked staff from Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), the National Highway Authority (NHA) and other relevant departments.

Moreover, authorities failed to spread salt on roads to prevent ice accumulation, exacerbating travel difficulties. A report by the Special Branch of the police highlighted these shortcomings and was forwarded to relevant authorities.

Sources said the drop in temperature has reduced the spread of seasonal ailments like coughs, colds, and eye infections, marking a return to chilly weather.