Rawalpindi-City Traffic Police along with local police on Tuesday facilitated more than 200 tourists stuck in heavy snowfall in Murree, informed spokesperson Wajid Satti.

Similarly, the wardens and police helped at least 60 vehicle owners in starting the engines of their vehicles that got dysfunctional in extreme harsh weather, he said.

“The wardens and police personnel assisted the tourists in changing tyres of their vehicles that got punctured in snow” he added.

Following instructions of Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shehbaz Sharif, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Wisal Fakhar Sultan Raja, City Police Officer (CPO) Israr Ahmed Khan Abbasi, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Chaudhry Yusaf Ali Shahid and SP Saddar Circle Iftikhar ul Haq also remained present in Murree to monitor the performance and rescue work of wardens and police, he said.

The spokesperson said that a large number of visitors thronged to Murree to enjoy heavy snowfall that blanketed the hill station two days ago. The traffic police along with the local police had made arrangements in anticipation of the crowds and deployed additional wardens at various places to keep the flow of traffic smooth, he said.

He said that several tourists got stuck in snow at various points in Murree while traffic police rescued them with help of snow motorbikes. “We have brought all the tourists to their destinations safe and sound,” he said.

However, due to unavailability of parking spaces, more than usual tourists and heavy rains, hindered the traffic that was successfully controlled by traffic wardens and police, he said, adding that the CTO Chaudhry Shahid Ali Yousaf himself assisted the tourists.

He said that the police had also set up a control room while the tourists had also been advised to contact at the traffic police helpline 051-9269200 in case of any trouble.

On the other hand, the CTO also issued traffic advisory for the tourists visiting Murree. He asked the vehicle owners to drive slowly and carefully in hilly area. He said that the drivers should ply vehicles with low air pressure in tyres.

“The drivers should get examined their vehicles to any good mechanic before coming to Murree,” the CTO said. He said that the drivers should also have extra fuel with them while travelling in Murree.

Meanwhile, RPO, CPO and SP Saddar Circle also reached Murree and reviewed rescue operation of wardens and local police, said a police spokesman Imran Haider. He said that CM Punjab had issued special instructions to the police officers of Rawalpindi to go to Murree and facilitate the tourists.