MURREE, July 4: The Punjab government on Friday decided to construct a parking plaza, having the capacity to accommodate 2,000 vehicles, at Jika Gali to overcome traffic congestion, especially during peak seasons.

The decision came in a meeting held here between Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and senior officials of the Rawalpindi district administration.

District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) Syed Jamal Mustafa, who also attended the meeting, told journalists that a number of measures were finalised to improve traffic and security situation in Murree.

Mr Mustafa said the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) would survey the site of the planned parking plaza, which was initially proposed during the last stint of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government by the then Murree Municipal Committee chairman Raja Daftar Abbasi.

The district coordination officer said the road passing through the old bazaar of Jika Gali would be widened by reclaiming portion of the commercial property.

Daftar Abbasi, who is now the president of PML-N’s Murree chapter, told reporters that the chief minister expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of roads in Murree, and ordered a probe into irregularities in the road projects completed recently.

On the recommendation of Mr Abbasi, all roads in Murree have now been given under the control to the Punjab highway department.

Previously they were being looked after by the City District Government Rawalpindi.

Talking to this reporter, City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Rao Iqbal said more than 1,500 vehicles entered Murree at the weekends in summer season.

“And in the absence of proper parking spaces it is quite difficult to control such heavy flow of traffic,” he said.

The city police officer said the police suggested to Mr Sharif that in order to effectively control and manage traffic, Upper Jika Gali Road, Kuldana Road and the main entrance to Murree should be dualised.

According to him, it was also proposed that only those vehicles should be allowed to enter Murree owners of which have proper parking arrangements in hotels or private houses.

Meanwhile, the Punjab chief minister told the district government officials that a feasibility study was being carried out to launch a train service from Jika Gali to Murree to minimise road traffic.

Mr Sharif also ordered to immediately stop work on CNG pumps at various places in Murree City, clearly stating that CNG filling stations would not be allowed at the hill station.

He also issued directives to stop digging of land near President’s House at Kashmir Point, and said no construction activity would be allowed in Murree City unless the building plans were in line with the by-laws of the Punjab government.