Curbs on civilian traffic on Jammu-Srinagar highway

No civilian traffic will be allowed on the Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sundays and Wednesdays from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. to ensure the safety of convoys of security forces, the government announced on Wednesday.

"Keeping in view the large movement of security forces on the national highway during the parliamentary elections and associated possibility of any terror attack on security forces convoys, the state government has notified specified days in a week for the movement of security forces on the national highway," an official notification said.

During these days, no civilian traffic will be allowed on the highway.

There will be a complete ban on civilian traffic on Sundays and Wednesdays from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m.

"This prohibition will be from Baramulla through Srinagar, Qazigund, Jawahar Tunnel, Banihal and Ramban till Udhampur.

"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," the notification said.

These restrictions would remain in force till May 31.

A suicide car bomber travelling on the highway killed 40 CRPF troopers at Pulwama in Kashmir in February. And on March 30, another car carrying a cooking gas cylinder exploded on the highway, slightly denting a CRPF vehicle.

--IANS

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