After massive public outcry, government forces said on Friday that ambulances and school buses will not be stopped during the movement of their convoys.
The killing of 40 CRPF personnel on February 14 in afidayeen attack on a convoy had prompted the government to announce that allcivilian vehicles would have to halt when forces’ convoys pass by.
The decision caused inconvenience to patients being ferriedto hospitals in ambulances and thousands of schoolchildren who were arrivinglate for classes.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar colonel Rajesh Kalia said,”During the convoy movement priority will be given to school buses, ambulancesand essential services’ vehicles. It will be ensured that no inconvenience iscaused to students and patients.”
Inspector general of CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi said thatforces have framed a “people-friendly” convoy-movement plan.
“No question of stopping ambulances or school buses becauseit is a humanitarian issue,” he said.
Incidents depicting inconvenience caused to students andpatients due to convoy restrictions were debated on social media. A pictureshowing a man carrying a patient in arms while a convoy passed by was widelyshared on Facebook and Twitter.
Aijaz Ahmed, who works in a private office at Rajbagh areaof Srinagar, said that at 8am on Thursday, CRPF men halted every kind oftraffic movement to ensure smooth flow of their convoy that was coming from TheBoulevard road and moving towards Rajbagh area.
“School buses were also stopped by the CRPF men at RadioKashmir crossing, while as private vehicles were stopped at Dalgate, ResidencyRoad and Ram Munshibagh,” he said.
“The traffic was halted for at least 15 minutes till thelast vehicle of CRPF crossed the Zero Bridge. The long wait irritated manycommuters who protested by blowing their horns continuously,” he said.