ISLAMABAD:Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali Afzal visited Murree on Friday night and reviewed all the arrangements made to cope with any situation as there is prediction of heavy snowfall in Murree and adjoining areas by Met Department.
The Chief Secretary also paid a surprise visit to control room set up in Murree and expressed satisfaction on all the arrangements made by the administration, police and other departments concerned to facilitate the tourists. On the occasion, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor ul Ameen Mengal and Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Tariq Farooq were also present.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor ul Ameen Mengal advised the tourists not to make unnecessary trips to Murree and its adjoining areas during the current spell of rain and snowfall as there is prediction of heavy snowfall in Murree and adjoining areas by Met Department.
The Commissioner said that the tourists should get weather updates and traffic-related information prior to travelling to Murree from control room on 051-9269016. He said heavy snowfall may cause road closures in different areas therefore the tourists had been advised to follow the instructions being given at Murree Toll Plaza to the tourists.
A special control room had been set up to facilitate the people particularly tourists, he said adding, the control room would work round the clock till Jan 25 under the supervision of Assistant Commissioner, Headquarters. The citizens could contact the control room on 051-9292963 and 051-9269016. The personnel of Punjab Police, Traffic Police, Rescue-1122, Forest Department, IESCO, Civil Defence and other departments concerned would remain on duty in the control room.
He said comprehensive traffic plan was in place in Murree. The local administration and traffic cops were present in the field for assisting the tourists, he added. Earlier this month, more than 23 people, all presumably tourists, were died due to the cold after their cars got stuck on snow-covered roads in Murree.
Later, an inquiry was held on this tragedy and in light of the inquiry’s findings this week, the Punjab government identified “gross negligence, lack of coordination and team work as well as risk assessment” as the reasons leading to the deaths of stranded tourists in Murree on Jan 8.
The Punjab government suspended the entire chain of command, including the Rawalpindi division commissioner, for failing to prevent the tragedy. The lapses that led to the 23 deaths were identified by a high-powered five-member committee, led by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Zafar Nasrullah.
15 officials were suspended and disciplinary action was being taken against them. Those suspended included Rawalpindi Commissioner Gulzar Husain Shah, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali, Murree Assistant Commissioner Umer Maqbool, Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Sajid Kiyani and Murree Assistant Superintendent of Police Ahmad Shah. Their services were surrendered to the federal government on administrative grounds and strict disciplinary action was recommended.
The chief minister had also announced the suspension and disciplinary action against the Rawalpindi chief traffic officer, traffic deputy superintendent of police, Rawalpindi highways circle-II sub-engineer, Rawalpindi executive engineer (EXEN), highways (mechanical) EXEN, highways (mechanical) sub-divisional officer, Murree divisional forest officer, Murree district emergency officer, Murree Rescue 1122 in-charge and Punjab PDMA director.