Srinagar, Apr 03: Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said that no civilian traffic would be allowed to ply on the Kashmir highway from Baramulla till Udhampur for two days every week in view of large movement of government forces during the upcoming parliamentary elections.
An official handout said the decision has been taken in view of the large movement of government forces on the highway during the parliamentary elections and associated possibility of any ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attacks.
“…the State government has notified specified days in a week for the movement of security forces from Srinagar to Jammu. During these days, no civilian traffic would be allowed on the highway,” said the handout.
“To mitigate the inconvenience to the civilians by this move, the government has notified two dedicated days in a week — Sunday and Wednesday — exclusively for movement of security forces convoys and there would be a complete ban on civilian traffic on the highway during these two days from 4 AM to 5 PM. This prohibition would be from Baramulla through Srinagar, Qazigund, Jawahar-Tunnel, Banihal and Ramban till Udhampur.”
The government has, further decided that in the event of any requirement for local traffic movement for any emergency or for other purpose, the local administration and police would evolve necessary procedures for this as is done during curfew days.
“These restrictions would remain in force till 31st May, 2019,” said the handout.
It is pertinent to recall that the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had during his visit to Kashmir after Pulwama suicide attack in February 2019, announced that no civilian traffic movement would be allowed during the convoy movement.
