CTP formulates a plan to tackle traffic congestion in Murree

The snowfall season in the northern parts of Pakistan has started, and so the City Traffic Police (CTP) Rawalpindi has formulated a plan to tackle all sorts of traffic congestions faced by the tourists due to rush and blocked roads due to snowfall.

According to the details, City Traffic Police (CTP) Rawalpindi has joined hands with concerned departments, including Town Municipal Authority (TMA), Rescue 1122, National Highway Authority (NHA), and district police to provide a congestion-free and safe atmosphere to the tourists visiting the hill station. It has been snow falling in Murree, Patriata, Ayubia, and its surroundings in the past couple of days, and due to the extension in school holidays in Punjab and KPK till 12^th January, the tourists are flooding in from all parts of the country to enjoy snowfall. According to a spokesperson of CTP, up to 17,000 vehicles enter Murree on a daily basis, which is certainly too many. There is a serious issue of parking for those traveling to Murree due to a large turnover, and many private parking contractors are also charging heavily on a per hour basis. Moreover, due to heavy snowfall, there have been cases of cars slipping on the roads and causing several accidents.

To tackle all the traffic-related issues, CTP has deputed up to 200 traffic wardens to ensure a smooth flow of traffic for the visitors. The deployed staff will be working in three shifts round the clock as per the devised traffic plan, and the concerned departments will also remain high-alert. The Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) will be visiting Murree to check all the arrangements, and any shortfall will be dealt with accordingly. Moreover, the on-duty traffic wardens are ensured to be given proper wearing equipment in harsh weather conditions. The task of keeping the roads operational for the tourists at all times is given to the National Highway Authority (NHA), and it will perform the work of sprinkling salt on the roads. It melts the snow rather quickly and allows the workers to remove it from the roads easily.

Furthermore, the CTP has also advised the tourists traveling to the hill station with several important safety measures as follows:

• The tourists are advised to only travel on vehicles running on petrol or diesel.
• CNG vehicles are strictly prohibited to enter the premises of Murree during snowfall conditions as it generates less power while accelerating on a steep climb and turns out dangerous on slippery roads.
• The tourists must check the condition of their vehicle’s tires and keep a functional spare tire along with.
• All the visitors must keep sufficient food supplies for each member traveling to the hill station.
• All the tourists are advised to strictly follow the traffic rules to avoid any traffic congestion and untoward situations.

Safety tips:

The weather is quite harsh in the hilly areas these days, so here we have a few tips for you while driving to hilly areas:

• Try to avoid unnecessary traveling, particularly during snowfall and after sunset. The water on roads turns into ice, especially after the sunset under the clear sky, which becomes fatal for driving. There have already been certain incidents reported in the last few days, and it’s better to adopt safety precautions than facing trouble for carelessness.
• For further safety, while driving, it’s advised to reduce air pressure in tires to avoid slipping. Reducing air pressure in tires increases the contact area of the tire with the road hence creating more friction and providing better grip while driving.
• Keep a functional spare tire and puncture kit to avoid any inconvenience.
• Avoid overtaking and driving at high speeds.
• Drive using a low gear and be gentle on brakes in case of slipping.

That’s it from our side for now. Have a safe journey to hilly areas, and enjoy the snowfall. Share your experiences and problems faced in the comments section below and stay tuned for more updates.