RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi district administration, under a contingency plan, formulated to deal with any emergency during heavy rain and snowfall in Murree and finalized arrangements to control entry of vehicles in Murree.
According to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Muhammad Ali, a special plan was also finalized to ensure quick and timely relief and rescue operations. He said a contingency plan was finalized to deal with any emergency, adding, although, natural calamities are beyond control but the damages could be reduced through disaster management.
Two control rooms would be set up at DC office, Rawalpindi and Assistant Commissioner Office, Murree for the next spell of rain and snowfall predicted for next few days. The control rooms would work round the clock to give quick response to the complaints of the citizens and ensure that they were provided with the required assistance as well as complete guidance, he added.
The focal persons from all the departments concerned would perform their duties in the control rooms. The DC further informed that during winter season an Additional Deputy Commissioner and three Assistant Commissioners including AC Murree and AC Kahuta would be stationed in Murree.
According to the new plan, the main focus would be on snow removal operations and traffic management. There would be regulated entry during such spells and maximum 8,000 vehicles would be allowed to enter Murree. He informed that all the departments concerned especially the health department, have been directed to extend full cooperation to the rescue personnel in any emergency so that fast and effective response could be provided.
The DC who is also Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority, Rawalpindi informed that the entry of vehicles into Murree had been allowed but, maximum 8,000 vehicles per day would be allowed entry from all entry points in normal weather conditions. This limit would not be applicable to the residents of Murree, AJK and official vehicles.
The Chief Traffic Officer, (CTO) Rawalpindi would devise a system to ensure that the traffic does not exceed the prescribed limit and would intimate well in time. No entry would be allowed between 5 pm to 5 am except for emergency services, vehicles carrying POL/LPG and food items.
XEN Mechanical machinery and the CTO would have effective coordination with Pakistan Meteorological Department to set up, maintain, review and upgrade mechanism for early warnings to regulate traffic. The City Police Officer, Rawalpindi and CTO Rawalpindi along with National Highways and Motorway Police would depute adequate police personnel for accurate count of incoming and outgoing vehicles and maintain a database of the traffic count.
