To allow free, secure movement of SF convoy, no civilian traffic on Kashmir highway

Srinagar, Apr 24: There will be no civilian traffic on Wednesday on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only all weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, following ban imposed by the government to allow free and safe movement of security force convoy.

Only security force convoy would be allowed to ply on the highway, a traffic police official told TNN.

However, he said, "Hundreds of vehicles, including trucks carrying fruit and empty oil tankers, which were stranded in Banihal, Qazigund and other areas following closure of the highway due to landslides between Ramban and Ramsu on Monday afternoon, were cleared on Tuesday."
There is no vehicle stranded on the highway now, he added.

The government has imposed ban on civilian traffic movement twice in a week—Sunday and Wednesday—for security reasons to allow safe and free movement of security force convoy on the highway. The ban was imposed after 44 CRPF personnel were killed and several others injured in a fidayeen attack by Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant on February 14 at Awantipora Pulwama on the highway and similar unsuccessful attempt at Jawahar tunnel last month.

However, the ban evoked sharp reaction from mainstream and separatist leaders besides different trade organisations, civil society and common people alleging that it was nothing but to punish the people of valley.

Fruit traders alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to cause them losses by delaying transportation of fruit to different parts of the country. Owing highway blockade apples were getting damaged on the road, they said and appealed appealed to government to allow free movement of fruit laden trucks so that apples are not damaged on way to different mandis of the country.

Three former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti staged dharnas on the highway demanding revoking of ban on civilian transport on the highway. A number of petitions have also been filed in the High court against the ban orders.

Only one-way traffic was being allowed on the highway for the past about two years due to which people are already facing problems, the traders said adding now ban on civilian traffic twice in a week has further added to their woes. The highway remained closed for over 40 days during winter due to landslides, shooting stone and snow.

Meanwhile, Kashmir valley is facing shortage of mutton besides the prices of essentials, particularly fresh vegetables, has witness increase many times.

Mutton dealers under the banner of All Kashmir Wholesale Mutton Dealers Association (AKWMDA) protested against the ban and alleged that over 250 trucks, carrying livestock have been stopped at Udhampur in Jammu region for the past one week without any reason.

AKWMDA general secretary Mehrajuddin Ganie said dealers are suffering losses due to illegally stopping their trucks.

He appealed to Governor Satya Pal Malik to intervene in the matter and direct the divisional administration Jammu to allow their truckloads to move towards Srinagar.