Third of the season: Shangla, Galiyat blanketed in snow

Officials warn tourists to come prepared, tie chains on wheels for traction on slippery roads


Our Correspondent January 22, 2019
A beautiful view of Nathiagali Road in Abbottabad covered in snow. PHOTO: PPI

SHANGLA: The third spell of snowfall of the season continues on the mountains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Across Hazara division and the Malakand division, the mountains were blanketed in snow. In the famous tourist destination of Shangla district, snow had disrupted road traffic.

Drivers were facing great difficulties due to blocked roads or extremely slippery conditions. Scores of tourists were temporarily stranded, which remioans part of winter snow adventure tourism.

Shangla District Police Officer Rasool Shah took a round of Shangla Top, Yakhtangi Top, Machar, Nagha Band and Baord. He met policemen performing duties in freezing temperatures and directed them to continue facilitating the people in distress.

Shah also formed a special team under supervision of Alpuri SDPO Amjad Ali and DSP headquarter Muhammad Zaman and handed them the responsibility of deploying police personnel on short distances between Shangla Top interchange and Alpuri to facilitate and guide drivers and other travellers so that they don’t face any difficulty.

“We are here to serve people, we consider it our top most priority and will responsibly perform it. We need to be courteous with the tourists coming to Shangla to enjoy the snowfall and guide them in safety rules for driving in snow,” the top cop of Shangla district said.

He told tourists to bring chains for tying on their wheels for better traction on snowy roads. “There is great danger of cars sliding off the road therefore tourists coming without chains on tyres is like inviting your own death in snow. Thereby they should strictly chain their car tyres,” he said.

DPO Shangla urged the people to act like responsible citizens and cooperate with the police for avoiding any road block and traffic jam.

Implementing the said directives, ASI Naeem and his team were at Shangla top facilitating the toutrists amd the local people alike. Tourists and other passengers appreciated these efforts.

Hazara under snow

A new spell of snowfall and rain started in Hazara division late Sunday night bringing the mercury to below zero in most parts of the region. Naran, Battagram, Torghar, Thandyani, Galiyat and other parts in upper Hazara division received snowfall during last 24 hour. The Met Office forecast snowfall for next two days while heavy downpour for plains.

Due to snowfall, the main roads in Kaghan, Thandyani, and Muree Road from Nathia Gali to Donga Gali were blocked for all sorts of traffic.

The snowfall had damaged the electricity transmission system in Battagram where clouds dumped up to two feet of snow during last 24 hours. Owing to freezing temperatures at least 20 children suffering from pneumonia were admitted to Battagram District Headquarter Hospital.

Five union councils of Alia tehsil of the district were cut off de to roads blocked with snow.

Amid freezing temperatures and supply shortage, the prices of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and firewood have doubled in the area.

Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) Media Manager Ahsan Hameed when contacted, said that despite snowfall the officials of the authority were working to clear the roads for traffic. He advised the tourists to visit Galiyat with full preparations and use chains on tyres to avoid any untoward situation.

(With additional input by APP)

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2019.

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