Tourists advised to exercise caution while visiting hilly areas

Snowfall disrupts life

ABBOTTABAD: Tourists should be careful while visiting Nathiagali, Dunga Gali, Ayubia and other hilly areas as heavy snowfall during the last 48 hours disrupted life in Galiyat and the region has received rain in the last four days.

The Abbottabad-Murree road has been blocked for traffic at various points even though the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority (KPHA), Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) and Communication and Works Department have been making efforts to clear the roads.

Reckless driving and traffic jams were witnessed at various points as tourists from all over the country thronged the scenic places in the district to enjoy the snowfall.

Local people said that Thandiyani, Nathiagali, Changla Gali, Ayubia, Donga Gali and other localities in Galiyat have received more than three feet snow so far. The power supply has been suspended to some places, including Nathiagali, Dunga Gali and Ayubia due to the snowfall and rain. The road from Kalapani to Thandiyani and Pattan Kalan link roads and routes in Kokmang and Chambiali have been closed to traffic.

The GDA has established a facilitation centre at the GDA office in Abbottabad, which is working round the clock to facilitate tourists. GDA Director General Inayatullah Waseem told The News that roads in three towns of Galiyat including Nathiagali, Dunga Gali and Khanaspur have been cleared to traffic. He confirmed that KPHA had placed three snow removing machines in three different places on the main Abbottabad-Murree Road while the Communication and Works Department had been working to clear the roads.

He asked the tourists to exercise caution and drive carefully on slippery roads to avoid road accidents. "It is very difficult to drive under these conditions. Those visiting these areas should be fully prepared to deal with tough weather conditions,” he maintained.

To a question, he said that a road in Dunga Gali had been reopened.Inayatullah Waseem said that Nathiagali had received about one and half feet snow.

He added that snowfall had damaged power transmission lines and telephone connections in the area. He said that rain and snowfall had disrupt power supply to different parts of Galiyat.

The Peshawar Electric Supply Company Pesco confirmed that power lines snapped after trees laden with snow fell in the forested areas.

Officials said that efforts were being made to fix the fault. Superintendent Engineer Wapda Qazi Tahir told The News that power supply was disrupted in Nathiagali and Ayubia due to damage caused to electricity poles and wire. He said that power supply in Lora circle had been restored.