Highway curbs on civilian traffic in J&K only on Sundays

In an attempt to strike out a balance between the needs of the forces & the local people, the J&K government lifted its ban on the civil vehicular movement on Jammu-Srinagar highway on Wednesdays & restricted it only on Sundays.

Srinagar, May 10 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday said civilian vehicles will be restricted on the Jammu-Srinagar highway only on Sundays. The restrictions had been imposed on civilian traffic on the highway on Wednesdays and Sundays after the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14 in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed.

The curbs were aimed at securing the passage of convoys of security forces on the highway.

An order issued by the state Home Department said: "In consequence of the reviews undertaken on real-time basis with regard to the regulation of civilian vehicular movement, it is hereby ordered that henceforth, the restriction on civilian traffic between Srinagar and Udhampur on national highway-44 would be for only one day in a week -- Sunday."

Political parties, traders, professionals and civil society members had vehemently opposed the imposition of restrictions on the highway as they said it adversely impacted business and professional activities in the Kashmir Valley.