ABBOTTABAD/MANSEHRA: Snowfall stopped in Galiyat region here early on Monday leading to the partial restoration of traffic on the main Abbottabad-Murree Road.

However, all link roads remained buried under snow.

The snow had begun falling in the region at around 4am on Saturday.

The spell of snowfall was eighth in the current winter season.

According to officials and residents, Galiyat received three feet of snow.

Ahsan Hameed, spokesperson for the Galiyat Development Authority, said major landslides were reported on Kundla, Toheedabad and Darwaza Kass points on Murree Road.

He said two landslides had been cleared, while the removal of third would be completed shortly.

The spokesman said major roads had been reopened to traffic after the removal of snow, while work on the Ayubia-Khanaspur Road was under way.

He said no tourist family was present in Galiyat hotels or guesthouses on Monday evening.

The spokesman said the weather was going to be sunny on Tuesday and therefore, the Galiyat Development Authority and district administration would allow tourists from Abbottabad side to go to Dongagali but their number wouldn’t be more than 20,000.

Meanwhile, all rural roads in Galiyat and Lora circles remained buried under snow blocking the people’s mobility.

The communication and works department claimed that the machinery had been dispatched to the region for the clearing of snow and would complete the job in the next few days.

Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority cleared snow from the Oghi-Battagram Road on Monday.

Heavy snowfall had blocked the road on Friday disconnecting Oghi tehsil in Mansehra district from Battagram.

The residents complained that the Punjab-Torghar Road, which linked Oghi and Torghar, and links roads had been blocked for four days restricting their movement.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2022