Murree Police & admin clear record snowfall as all highways reopen

MURREE, Jan 27 (APP): The Murree Police and district administration achieved a major milestone on Tuesday by successfully managing extraordinary snowfall and severe blizzards that broke a 25-year record in the hill resort, with all major highways fully restored for tourists after the fourth consecutive 21-hour snow spell.

The latest spell concluded after prolonged snowfall that, according to officials, tested the city’s response mechanisms through a series of intense weather events over several days. Despite temperatures dropping to -5 degrees Celsius, authorities reported a “zero incident” record during the entire period.

District Police Officer (DPO) Murree Dr Muhammad Raza Tanveer said a modern operational strategy and the active field presence of all departments ensured uninterrupted traffic flow despite the severity of the snowfall.

He said Murree experienced an unprecedented weather pattern this winter, including a 35-hour snow blizzard followed by another 22-hour storm, before the most recent 21-hour spell ended.

Personnel from the Murree Police, Traffic Police, Punjab Highway Patrolling, the Motorway Police and Rescue 1122 worked round the clock, he said, adding that the Expressway and toll plaza remained open throughout to ensure safe passage for tourists and local residents.

With snow clearance operations completed on all major roads, the DPO said Murree was now fully safe and accessible. He commended officers and personnel of all departments for their dedication and invited tourists to visit the hill station with their families, assuring them that the police remained on high alert for their safety and assistance.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi Engineer Aamir Khattak visited Murree on Tuesday to review administrative and relief arrangements as snowfall that began on Monday evening continued intermittently into the day.

Accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Murree Agha Zaheer Abbas Shirazi, he toured various parts of the city and inspected facilitation centres established for residents and tourists.

Speaking on the occasion, the commissioner said the district administration and all relevant departments were fully mobilised to handle the situation. He said all major link roads were open for traffic and directed that no unnecessary closures be allowed.

Khattak said teams from the district administration, Rescue 1122, the highway traffic police, the Punjab Police and other line departments were present in the field round the clock. Protection of life and property, he added, remained the top priority of the government, and any negligence would not be tolerated.

During the inspection, he reviewed relief operations, road clearance work, traffic flow, tourist guidance, parking arrangements and the emergency response system. He directed that all machinery be kept fully functional and roads cleared in the shortest possible time.

The commissioner praised the deputy commissioner and the district administration for timely planning, coordinated efforts and effective field management, saying overall arrangements during the snowfall were satisfactory and producing positive results.

Separately, Deputy Commissioner Shirazi, along with Member of the National Assembly Raja Usama Ashfaq Sarwar, paid a late-night visit to Mall Road to oversee arrangements. He met officers and personnel on duty, appreciated their performance and said all departments remained vigilant while the situation continued to be closely monitored.