Highway closed for civilian movement twice a week

Srinagar, Apr 3: The J&K administration on Wednesday took the drastic decision of closing the National Highway right from Udhampur to Baramulla for civilians for two days a week citing security concerns.

Keeping in view the large movement of Security Forces on the national highway during the Parliamentary Elections and associated possibility of any fidayeen attack on security forces’ convoys, the State Government has notified specified days in a week for the movement of forces from Srinagar to Jammu, read a government handout.

“During these days, no civilian traffic would be allowed on National Highway. To mitigate the inconvenience to the civilians by this move, the government has notified 2 dedicated days in a week i.e, (Sunday & Wednesday) exclusively for movement of Security Forces Convoys and there would be a complete ban on civilian traffic on the National 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 handout added.

The Government has, it said, 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.

It would be recalled that the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during his visit to Kashmir post Pulwama militant attack in February, 2019, had announced that no civilian traffic movement would be allowed during the convoy days. Besides, few days ago on 30th March, there was a possible fidayeen attack on another Security Force Convoy at Banihal.