ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: All the fun and excitement turned into wretchedness when tourists visiting the snow-capped hill resort, Murree, were trapped for hours in the traffic jam on a dangerously slippery winding road on a below freezing Sunday.

The chilly breeze that blew eerily against the snowy hill slopes and slippery icy roads did not keep visitors away, especially on Sunday.

Hardened snow made the nearly vertical road passing through Lawrence College all the way up to Kashmir Point almost an impossible ascent. Some turned back while others took the risk of going all the way. So slippery was the road from Lawrence College onwards that even standing on it was not an easy task.

The downright miserable road conditions opened a window of opportunity for the locals. They stood around sharp steep U- turns, waiting for vehicles to get stuck and then walk up to the driver’s side and offer them help for money. They demanded as much as Rs800 just to sit on the vehicles’ bonnets so that tyres would not spin because of the weight.

“It will be Rs1,000 if we provide a driver,” said one local carrying a spade over his shoulder.

A few jeeps were also available to tow vehicles, of course for a price, all the way up to Kashmir Point. But most decided to turn around and take the longer route through Sunny Bank and then to the most visited spot, Kashmir Point. And they were lucky.

The youngsters simply went wild as fresh snow began to fall which nudged up the fun factor. They threw snowballs, took pictures, laughed as they endeavoured to balance on slippery surfaces and threw themselves on the snow.

However the fun-filled holiday had an abrupt ending. Most of the visitors heading down from the hill resort found themselves stuck up in an unexpected jam that took over six hours to clear. From around 3pm onwards, it was about how long will it take to get home rather than how many kilometres away it was?

Irresponsible driving rather than the slippery surface was the major reason for the chaos. Some impatient van drivers making wrong over takes on already narrowed road blocked the way of an oncoming truck already moving as slow as a horse-drawn carriage.

Traffic moved at a snail’s pace, taking four hours to reach Sunny Bank from Kashmir Point, a distance of probably less than two or three kilometres.

The day turned into night. Clouds floated in, bringing more snowfall and with it more uneasiness and fear. People sat in cars, vans, buses and trucks in pin-drop silence in the darkness. Sometimes the silence was broken when local boys tapped on the windows of the vehicles, carrying thermoses and asking passengers whether they would be interested in a cup of tea for Rs15.

Anticipation turned to anxiety when people walking up with luggage had terrible information to pass on. “The jam is stretching all the way down to Company Bagh. You could be stuck here all night,” came a reply from one. Another said he had been walking for 16kms. It was better to turn around and find an alternative route - as if there were many.

Men got out of cars to smoke and stretch their legs. Some less concerned youngsters in one car played card games. Fights broke out, scaring families.

Armed policemen walked up the road making sure no one drove out of the line, insulting and abusing those who did. The drivers tried anxiously to enter the line but people did not let them do so, making matters worse. Some tried to find room with sheer force of will, not paying attention to the honking horns.

“We have been here as long as they have. We waited, and they should too. All it takes is patience,” said one driver.

Traffic finally started moving again when some tourists stood around Sunny Bank roundabout and took control, gesturing one side to stop, allowing the other side to move. Still, it took another hour to crawl some 2kms from Sunny Bank. All this time, there was no sign of police.

And like one visitor said: “Murree is such an important visiting spot, but there is no gas. Electricity goes often. Traffic is totally out of control. The least the government can do is make Murree a hassle-free destination for thousands of people who visit it.”

Our Correspondent from Murree adds: Heavy snowfall has been continuing in the hill station and its adjoining areas for two consecutive days, bringing life to a standstill.

Hundreds of vehicles remained jammed due to the slippery road and a number of accidents also took place. About one-and-a- half feet snow has already fallen and according to the Met Office, snowfall would continue for the next three days.

Due to heavy traffic on the roads, machinery used to clear snow could not be operated. It took four to five hours to reach Murree from Charapani, which normally is covered in 15 to 20 minutes.

Hotels charged double rent from tourists. Many families spent their nights in their cars as roads remained blocked at both ends.

Water in pipelines has frozen while power loadshedding has added to the problems of the tourists.