Authorities in Murree have imposed restrictions on additional tourist entries due to traffic congestion caused by a surge in visitors following substantial snowfall in the hill station.
Tourists faced increased challenges in Murree as power outages and a shortage of snow removal equipment exacerbated road conditions. The Islamabad Deputy Commissioner issued an order to limit further tourist influx into Murree due to extended queues of vehicles on roads connecting Rawalpindi-Islamabad to the hilly areas in Murree and its environs.
In an attempt to alleviate traffic issues, the police have closed several main roads, including Kashmir Point, Mall Road, Guldana Road, and other arteries, for two-way traffic. The district administration has established a 24/7 traffic control room to assist citizens.
The deputy commissioner of Islamabad, in an announcement on X, conveyed the administration’s resolution to temporarily prohibit tourist entry into Murree from ’17 Meel’ due to the heavy snowfall.
“After consulting with the Murree management, the decision has been made to permit tourists’ entry into Murree once the current rush diminishes,” stated the Deputy Commissioner.
Throughout the snowfall in Murree, the civil administration, particularly the highways and WAPDA departments, faced criticism as a large number of tourists thronged the hill station. Slow preparations for snow removal led to traffic disruptions on Murree’s main roads and arteries. The inefficiency of the administration’s older vehicles rendered many of them inoperable on the roadsides.