Srinagar-Baramulla highway ban relaxed

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 20

Amid the growing clamour against the “highway ban”, the Jammu and Kashmir government today limited the restrictions on movement of civilian traffic on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway to only Sundays.

It also announced a complete review of restrictions after the last phase of parliamentary elections in the state on May 6.

On April 3, the state had notified two dedicated days in a week — Sunday and Wednesday — exclusively for the movement of security forces’ convoys on the Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Baramulla sections by enforcing a complete ban on civilian traffic from 4 am to 5 pm.

According to an official spokesperson, the government has once again reviewed the requirements of security forces, particularly in the light of successful conduct of elections in Baramulla and Jammu on April 11 and Srinagar and Kathua on April 18.

“There has been a large-scale movement of security forces on an unprecedented scale after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14. The forces were required both for anti-militancy operations and for conducting General Election peacefully. As the requirement is now reducing as they are de-inducted, the government has decided to partially relax the traffic restrictions,” the spokesperson said.

The restrictions would continue between Srinagar and Udhampur as earlier. 

“However, these would be reviewed periodically and relaxation allowed as the need for restriction reduces,” the spokesperson added.

The High Court has sought a detailed report from the government on the restrictions while hearing a bunch of petitions.

Wednesday off list

The curbs on civilian movement between Srinagar and Baramulla highway would now be limited only to Sundays from April 22. There would be no prohibition on civilian traffic on Wednesday. Govt spokesperson