District Administration to Prepare Winter Plan for Murree

On Friday, the divisional administration instructed Murree’s district administration to prepare a winter plan to manage the snowy season and prevent any unfortunate incidents.

In January 2022, 22 people tragically lost their lives while trapped in snow in the hilly town of Murree. Following this incident, Commissioner Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ali, City Police Officer Sajid Kiyani, and other officials were reassigned due to negligence. The Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench later ordered the government to develop a winter plan for managing traffic and other challenges in the area.

In response, Commissioner Aamir Khattak and Deputy Commissioner Murree Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi led a meeting on Friday, joined by heads of district departments, to discuss winter preparations. The meeting covered arrangements such as setting up facilitation centers, establishing a control room, and providing tourist facilities. Deputy Commissioner Murree briefed the attendees on preparations for accommodating tourists.

The commissioner emphasized that Murree, a key tourist destination, attracts large numbers of visitors seeking to enjoy the winter weather. He confirmed that the district administration has implemented a thorough strategy to enhance tourist services. This includes the full operation of the control room and facilitation centers, as well as strict enforcement of the traffic management plan.

He instructed that all safety and logistical preparations should be completed by mid-November.

“Illegal constructions and encroachments have been removed in Murree. New construction and plastic bags are completely banned. Tow trucks will be available to prevent illegal parking. The Master Plan, in collaboration with the Urban Unit and RDA, should be implemented. The Forest Department should maintain cleanliness on jogging tracks, and the Murree Municipal Corporation must ensure that CCTV cameras are functional,” he added.

The commissioner, along with RPO Babar Sarfaraz Alpa and the DC Murree, visited various locations in Murree to review the tourist arrangements.