Rawalpindi traffic police have devised a detailed strategy in consideration of another snowstorm forecast for Murree after the tragic death of 22 tourists in a snowstorm last week.
Accordingly, only drivers with valid licenses will be permitted to travel to the hill station between 5 AM and 5 PM. A notification from the authorities read: “Not more than 8,000 vehicles per day would be allowed to enter Murree Hills in normal weather conditions”. However, the residents of Murree, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir (AJK), and government vehicles, will be exempt from these restrictions.
Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Taimoor Khan met with the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Traffic, Ajmal Satti, on Sunday and reviewed the traffic plan. It entails that besides the 268 district police officers who will be deployed to help tourists, three DSPs, 20 inspectors, 100 traffic assistants, 125 traffic wardens, and 20 district police tourist guides will be stationed in the hills. A spokesperson for the police advised tourists to cooperate with the deployed officials as they are working in harsh weather conditions.
Furthermore, the staff at the entrances and toll plazas, and the Sector In-charges have been told to facilitate travelers.
Advisory for Travelers
The CTO has advised tourists to travel in mechanically fit cars with tool kits. They should carry vital food supplies, avoid closing car windows fully, and use snow chains. Special pickets have been set up on all the routes to the hill station, and tourists should refrain from parking their vehicles on roadsides to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
“Avoid taking selfies while parking on the road or driving. Avoid one-way violations and wrong overtaking to make your trip safer,” the CTO warned.
The Rawalpindi Police radio station 88.6 and all the official traffic police pages will also provide timely weather updates to allow travelers to prepare for emergencies.
Officials have been told to have salt sprinkled on roads and to remove snow from them quickly, in addition to distributing awareness brochures to tourists. Additionally, orders have been issued for the deployment of heavy machinery to immediately clear snow from the highways. Cranes and tow trucks will be available for rapid assistance, and lifters and beat in-charges will patrol the area.
The concerned staff should have all the departments’ emergency numbers handy, and the duty officer is to display all the numbers in his office. It was also suggested in the meeting that a cell phone number should be provided apart from the landline numbers for prompt assistance in the event of the breakdown of communication during intense snowfall.
Staffers have also been instructed to work in full capacity with a sense of responsibility and teamwork to maintain a smooth flow of traffic.
BycottMurree….Nobody is going to Murree now.
Boycott murree, naran, kagan, galiyat, ayubia, all. Because the rentier/extortionist mindset prevails at all these places.