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LAHORE:
A preliminary investigation report of the Murree tragedy revealed on Sunday that poor conditions of the roads in the hill station and its outskirts was one of the factors that caused the enormous traffic jam, ultimately leaving at least 22 tourists freezing to death in vehicles trapped by the blizzard.
The report submitted to the Punjab government stated that the roads had not been repaired for the past two years and freezing temperatures led to more potholes on the roads, hampering the flow of traffic.
The report also blamed the authorities concerned for not removing the snow from the main exit point of the tourist resort town which also contributed to the massive traffic jam.
The probe also revealed that the tourists were forced to stay in their vehicles due to prolonged power outages in different parts of Murree.
Also read: More than 500 families rescued, taken to safety in calamity hit Murree
The ban on entry of vehicles was imposed only after the intervention of deputy commissioner and CPO Rawalpindi district, read the report, adding that drivers of the machinery to remove snow from the roads also did not arrive on time.
The report also highlighted that there was no parking plaza in Murree where tourists could park their vehicles.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has constituted a committee headed by the additional chief secretary for further investigation.
The Punjab police on Sunday said that more than 500 families in the calamity hit Murree were rescued and taken to safety in the last 24 hours.
According to police officials, all major highways in Murree have been cleared for traffic and about 600 to 700 vehicles were evacuated from the town last night.