RAWALPINDI: The district administration in Murree was forced to impose a ban on the entry of vehicles to the district on Saturday after more than 20,000 vehicles, excluding motorcycles, entered the hill station against a limit of 8,000 automobiles set by the administration.
However, by evening on the third day of Eidul Azha, 12,070 vehicles had left the hill station.
People thronged Murree and other recreational places, like Daman-i-Koh and Rawal Lake View Park in Islamabad. These spots, including F9 Park and Pir Sohawa, remained jampacked in the capital, just like Allama Iqbal Park, Ayub Park, Safari Park, Race Course and Jinnah Park in Rawalpindi.
In Murree, the administration had taken strict security measures as tens of thousands of citizens thronged the hill station. Despite heavy deployment of wardens, traffic remained a mess.
Traffic remains a mess despite deployment of additional wardens; commissioner claims vehicles influx reduced manifold due to shuttle bus service
Ahmed Khan, a resident of Muzaffarabad, said the traffic jam had become a routine on Eid days in Murree. “The administration and traffic police should make a plan for the people who wanted to go to Muzaffarabad and other areas but they were stuck on Murree Road at Bhara Kahu after the administration banned the entry of tourists,” he said.
Raja Akram, another tourist, said they had planned to go to Murree but changed their plans due to a large influx of people.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha told Dawn that the bus service from Bhara Kahu to Murree was launched on the first day of Eid and a total of eight buses were part of this service. He claimed that due to the bus service, the number of vehicles was reduced manifold.
“On Saturday, as many as 20,000 vehicles entered Murree but we stopped more vehicles from entering the district and asked the tourist to use the shuttle service,” he added. He said that people had been advised not to visit the hill station due to a presence of a large number of visitors.
Beefed up security
In Murree, security was beefed up by the district administration and police as tourists thronged the newly-created district. The administration officials and police officers visited the hill station to review the arrangements made to facilitate visitors.
On the occasion, Chief Traffic Officer Taimoor Khan said that the traffic was being temporarily diverted in view of “safety and administrative” measures.
“The decision to ban the entry of vehicles was made keeping in view the safety and convenience of tourists as it was exceeding the available accommodation of vehicles,” he said.
The CTO said that all the entrances would be reopened again after examining the vehicle capacity in Murree. Due to narrow roads, there is traffic pressure on the highways. Murree has a total parking capacity of 4,000 vehicles, he added.
He said despite insufficient parking and congested roads, traffic officials were working hard to maintain the traffic flow.
On the other hand, the Rawalpindi police made special security and traffic arrangements in Murree to facilitate tourists. A police spokesman said that 700 police officers and jawans of the district police and elite force were performing security duties while more than 285 officers of the traffic police were deployed for the smooth flow of traffic.
SSP Operations Muhammad Amir Khan Niazi said that it was the prime duty of the police to protect the lives and properties of the public. He said that all available resources would be utilised to facilitate the tourists and ensure the uninterrupted flow of traffic around the clock.
Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2023
