ABBOTTABAD: Showing a large influx of visitors, a record 0.1 million vehicles entered Abbottabad and Galiyat areas on Eid days, say the local traffic police and Galiyat Development Authority.

They also insist that the number of vehicles, which went to upper parts of Hazara division, Naran, Kaghan, Shogran and other hilly areas on chand raat and Eid days, was two times more than the last year’s.

In an act of hospitality, the Abbottabad police gave away gifts, sweets, juices and toys to the tourists and made special arrangements for the supply of clean drinking water to them.

No traffic congestion was reported anywhere in Abbottabad with the police attributing it to the effective enforcement of the traffic plan.

The traffic cops also claimed that they didn’t issue any challans to motorists and motorcyclists during Eid days unlike the past when many violators of traffic laws were ticketed.

They added that the traffic police had withdrawn challan books from their employees in line with the announcement of SP (traffic) Shamsur Rehman.

The Galiyat Development Authority’s employees remained on duty during Eid days with GDA director (administration) Khalid Khan monitoring their services.

Spokesman for the GDA Ahsan Hameed told Dawn that the authority distributed cotton bags to tourists coming in from Abbottabad and Murree to dispose of bottles, juice packets and other garbage.

He said the GDA employees asked visitors not to throw garbage in the area and hand over garbage bags to the staff members at Barian Toll Plaza and outer belt of Nathiagali.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, his ministers and top bureaucrats also spent Eid in Galiyat.

PTI chairman Imran Khan offered Eid prayer at the Mochi Thara Masjid in the main bazaar of Nathiagali and exchanged Eid greetings with the local residents and tourists.

The people also took selfie with him and gave him suggestions on how to promote tourism in the region.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2017