The restrictions on the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway were placed on April 7 to prevent Pulwama type terror attack on convoys of security forces.
The restrictions on the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway were placed on April 7 to prevent Pulwama type terror attack on convoys of security forces. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, on Tuesday, decided to lift the remaining restrictions on the civilian movement on the National Highway 44 (NH 44) connecting Jammu to Srinagar with effect from Monday, May 27.
The restrictions on the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway were placed on April 7 to prevent Pulwama type terror attack on convoys of security forces.
Sundays and Wednesdays were earmarked to ban civilian traffic on the highway following the failed Pulwama-type attack in Banihal area on the highway while a convoy of the CRPF was moving. It was also aimed at the smooth movement of security forces during the five phases of the Lok Sabha elections in the state.
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The ban was ordered on the 270 km stretch of the highway between Udhampur, the headquarters of Army’s Northern Command, and Baramulla in the extreme North of the Kashmir valley.
The restrictions were met with huge criticism by the Kashmir-centric political parties.
Faced with criticism of twice a week ban on the movement of civilian traffic on the Jammu-Baramulla Highway, the Jammu and Kashmir governor withdrew the restriction on the 75 km stretch between Srinagar and Baramulla on April 20.
These restrictions were ordered following the terror attack in Pulwama where 44 CRPF personnel were killed and a similar attack in Banihal that failed.
The government, in its earlier order, had banned the movement of civilian traffic till 31 May when the election process would conclude, but, an official spokesman had said that a complete review of restrictions on the highway would be done after the last phase of elections on May 6 to examine the need for continuing the ban.
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