Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Muscat: The significant efforts made by Royal Oman Police ROP during the Khareef Salalah festival were appreciated by visitors, as hundreds of messages thanking the ROP went viral on social media. Most people expressed their appreciation for the efforts made by ROP to ensure the safety of the public during the festival.
The Royal Oman Police had issued advice for visitors to Khareef Salalah, offering safety measures to follow while at the festival. For instance, the police urged travellers to perform necessary maintenance to their automobile’s engine, check their engine’s oil, belts, fan and tires. Travellers were also asked to check their coolant supplies and make sure their windshield wipers and rear wipers were working properly. The ROP also urged travellers to carry essential items, such as a tow rope, digging equipment, wooden boards, extra water, extra keys and a fire extinguisher.
Moreover, ROP worked to make sure border procedures operated efficiently to ease the entrance of visitors during Khareef Salalah, and so they might review safety procedures with incoming drivers.
Ahmed Al Shamsi, a United Arab Emirates citizen, said he was astonished by the fast-moving process he and his family experienced as they passed across the border. "We were stuck in a long queue of vehicles at the border, but in a matter of 8 minutes our documents were processed and we crossed the border point," said Al Shamsi.
Further, Salim Al Sarhani, a national who is visiting Salalah for two weeks, said that the efforts made by ROP were clear to everyone. "You could see the presence of ROP forces everywhere, as they offeredadvice and help to visitors," said Al Sarhani. He added that such efforts are always appreciated. "I simply followed the advice announced by ROP and I am having fun here," said Al Sarhani.
“ROP has given us all the instructions that we needed to be safe during the Khareef. They explained the nature of the climate in Thumrait, and these guidelines help us to drive safely during misty and low visibility conditions. The ROP was in all places and helped us to be safe,” James Yohannan, an Indian expat who went to Salalah for the Eid holidays, told Times of Oman.
Also, ROP set up a traffic plan to keep traffic moving smoothly during the festival, especially close to the event sites. Moreover, the ROP force is stationed throughout the area to assist with traffic congestion.
Additionally, ROP has tweeted and messaged safety tips and warnings to the public about fog conditions throughout the Khareef season in Salalah. ROP is constantly using social media to engage and communicate effectively with citizens and residents to keep them safe, according to officials.
Of note, ROP Air Wing provided helicopters operating along the road from Al Wusta Governorate to Dhofar Governorate to alert ground units about speeding drivers, shifting sand and were available to transport the injured if accidents occur.
The helicopters are equipped with medical equipment to administer first aid to the injured, as they fly to the nearest hospital.
During the holiday, 238,675 people visited Salalah,with Omanis comprising 67 per cent of total visitors between June 21 and August 1, according to the records of the National Centre for Statistics and Information.
Some 86 per cent of the trips were made by land,as 14 per cent travelled by air. Furthermore, the NCSI reported that 99 per cent of this year’s visitors to Salalah are from the GCC, including the Sultanate.
