Despite snowfall, Murree wears deserted look after Jan 8 tragedy
Rawalpindi-A few hundred tourists arrived in Murree on Saturday to enjoy snowfall after at least 22 tourists died in snow storm in Murree on January 8.
Low influx of tourists in the hilly area during recent spell of rain and snowfall will also negatively affect various businesses in Murree particularly hotels, as the owners and managers are already bearing the brunt due to maltreatment with tourists earlier in the month.
According to a spokesman of City Traffic Police Rawalpindi, a total of 1,133 vehicles entered Murree out of which 534 returned to Islamabad.
“Right now, a total of 1,728 vehicles of tourists are parked in Murree,” he said. The number is very less than the number of vehicles (165,000) that entered in Murree from January 8 to 13, 2022.
Meanwhile, heavy snowfall coupled with rain continued all day in Murree, Kotli Sattian and Galiyat.
Despite heavy snow, a few tourists reached Murree and Galiyat to enjoy live snowfall.
Following the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Khan Buzdar, Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor Ul Amin Mengal, Deputy Commissioner Tahir Farooq and Acting Chief Traffic Officer/SSP Operation Wasim Riaz reached Murree to monitor traffic management and other arrangements made by the district government to facilitate the tourists.
City Traffic Police, on instructions of Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ashfaq Ahmed Khan, also issued advisory for the tourists visiting Murree to enjoy snowfall.
Twin cities also witnessed a drop in Mercury.
According to Met Office, rain/snow wind-thunderstorm (with few heavy falls) is expected in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, north Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir. Fog is expected in few plain areas of Punjab. Snowfall is likely to intensify in northern areas including Murree, Galiyat and upper parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during next 12 hours.
Rain and snow wind-thunderstorm are expected in Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, upper Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir today (Sunday).
Dense fog is expected in upper Sindh and plain areas of Punjab. Similarly, intermittent rain is expected in Islamabad. Rain (with heavy rain/ hailstorm at few places) is expected in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Sargodha, Khushab, while heavy snow may occur at few places in Murree and Galiyat. Cold weather and dense fog is expected in other parts of the province.
On Saturday, Saidpur village received 17mm rain, Golra 13mm, Bokra 14mm, Shamasabad 13mm and Chaklala 15mm, according to Met Office.
SSP Operations/ Acting CTO Wasim Riaz in a statement said traffic police are fully prepared to control traffic rush in Murree. He said the tourists are being guided and updated through Traffic Police Radio 88.6 about the weather and road condition.
Heavy rain also poured in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi turning the weather chilly. Traffic jams could be seen on main roads while Islamabad and Rawalpindi traffic police put all efforts to regulate the traffic flow.
Rain water inundated on roads and in low lying areas. WASA Chief Raja Shaukat Ali has cancelled the leaves of all the staff and ordered them to remain present in the field to pump out rain water to facilitate the citizens and road users. In many areas, WAPDA suspended electricity supply while there was zero gas pressure as well doubling miseries of the citizens in chilly weather.
Meanwhile, the businesses of soup, tea, coffee, dry fruits, fritters and fried fish boomed. However, the consumers lodged complaints against the shopkeepers for overcharging. The prices of coal and wood also witnessed an increase in hilly areas.
Article source: https://nation.com.pk/23-Jan-2022/despite-snowfall-murree-wears-deserted-look-after-jan-8-tragedy