MURREE (The Thursday Times) — Planning a snow trip to Murree this winter? Officials have activated a safety plan for the hill station after the first snowfall in the Galiyat, with 19 help centres for tourists, thermal drones over the roads and fixed prices at hotels and petrol stations.
The plan, called Mission Safe Winter, was drawn up by the district administration, the National Disaster Management Authority and Rescue 1122. The official winter tourism season runs from December 15 to February 15.
What it means if you go
Help on the road. The 19 tourist facilitation centres are spread across Murree, the Galiyat and the routes in from Rawalpindi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir, offering assistance and guidance in an emergency. New Rescue 1122 stations have opened.
Cleared roads. More than 20 snow-clearing vehicles, cranes and loaders have been positioned at key points. Roads and entry points are being watched round the clock through 181 Safe City cameras and thermal drones, and a Pakistan Army contingent will also stay deployed.
Prices. The Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority will monitor hotels and petrol stations for overcharging, and uniform fares and standard food prices are to be enforced. Overcharging has long been a complaint among visitors in peak snow season.
Medical care. Hospitals have been told to keep doctors and medicines available 24 hours a day, and an air ambulance strip along the Murree Expressway has been proposed for serious emergencies.
The stakes are well known. In January 2022, more than 20 people died in Murree after thousands of vehicles were trapped on snowbound roads during a severe storm, many of them inside their cars.
