The government order banning movement of civilian traffic along the Jammu-Srinagar-Baramulla highway came into force on Sunday, causing tremendous hardships to hundreds of commuters, students, patients and their attendants who were disallowed by the police and paramilitary forces to reach their destinations falling along the highway. The movement of forces’ convoys, however, was smooth, according to officials, who also said that they cleared “emergency cases” on priority by issuing them “spot permissions”.
Sunday was the first day of enforcement of ban on civiliantraffic along the highway to facilitate movement of forces’ convoys. Thehighway, according to the ban order, shall remain closed on Sunday andWednesday every week, from 9am to 5pm until May 31, for all kinds of civiliantraffic to “enable smooth flow of forces’ convoys from Jammu to Baramulla”.
The ban order has drawn severe criticism from state’smainstream and separatist leaders, who have demanded its immediate revocation,though the divisional commissioner announced two days ago that essentialservices, emergency vehicles, ambulances, tourist vehicles and also civilianvehicles “in need of emergency travel” will be exempted from the restrictions.
WITNESSES SPEAK
Groups of witnesses Sunday said that despite the alternateroute plan framed by the traffic department for people travelling from northernand southern districts to Srinagar or vice-versa, hundreds of people sufferedbadly due to the stringent curbs put in place all along theBaramulla-Srinagar-Jammu highway.
“Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strengthwhile barbed wires were placed on roads to ensure there is no civilian trafficmovement on the highway,” said Abdur Rashid Khan, a resident of Baramulladistrict.
Khan had brought blankets and food items for a patientadmitted at SKIMS medical college at Bemina.
He said he managed to reach Shalteng through an alternateroute “but found only deserted streets and lanes, dotted with forces personnel,thereafter”.
“For a while, I thought I am at a place where no one lives.There was a pin drop silence on the roads. After waiting for half an hour, I,along my wife and children, decided to walk towards the SKIMS medical college.There was no other choice,” he told Greater Kashmir.
Some women, along with their children, were also seenwalking ahead of Khan. “We have a patient at the SKIMS medical college. We haveto reach the hospital because there is nobody to take care of the patient,” thewomen, who looked visibly tired, said.
They said they had to walk several miles by foot to reachthe hospital.
“We came from Sumbal, Bandipora. We managed to reach HMTcrossing after changing three vehicles. We have seen many curfews in life, buthaven’t seen a situation like this ever before,” they said.
At HMT crossing, dozens of load carriers, several trucks andscores of private vehicles were stranded in queues. They were not allowed toproceed.
“I had to deliver goods at three shops in Batamaloo. The shopkeepershave been calling me repeatedly, but I am helpless as I am not allowed toproceed,” a load carrier owner said.
The situation was same at other vital intersections alongthe Srinagar-Narbal road, even though magistrates appointed by the government wereseen talking to stranded people and trying to help them out.
The government Saturday said it has identified 18 points inSrinagar where sector magistrates will be stationed to facilitate emergencycases on Sunday.
Chaotic scenes were however witnessed at Sanantnagar, Nowgamand Narbal intersections, with people, including women and elderly, seenpleading before the sector magistrates to allow their vehicles to ply.
“It is better to walk as my brother is critical at SKIMSSoura and I have to reach there,” said Majid Gulzar, a resident of Nowgam.
His vehicle was stopped and he was asked to get a pass fromthe sector magistrate. However, before him, there were scores of vehicles inthe queue. Gulzar decided to keep hisvehicle at the nearby parking and walk.
“Somehow I should reach Rambagh where from I can board anyvehicle to reach Soura,” he said.
At PanthaChowk, even though traffic movement remainedsmooth, many commuters slammed authorities for the traffic ban.
“Who says Kashmir is paradise on earth. We aren’t evenallowed to walk on our own roads,” a group of travelers yelled at a policeman.
OFFICIALS SPEAK
Talking to Greater Kashmir, nodal officer for 18 identifiedpoints in Srinagar, AijazSidiqi, said hundreds of vehicles—emergency cases,essential services, ambulances and tourist buses—were allowed to ply on thehighway after they were issued “spot passes.”
“The drivers of these vehicles had to wait for five minutesto get their passes (travel permits). No untoward incident happened anywhere andpeople cooperated with the administration,” the nodal officer said.
According to officials, passes were issued from 9am to 5pmat several road crossings, including: “Parimpora (1500 vehicles), Pohru (300vehicles), Nowgam (1500 vehicles), JVC (1050 vehicles), Hyderpora (1400vehicles), Bemina (900 vehicles), PanthaChowk (2000 vehicles), Shalteng (1510vehicles) and Railway crossing (100 vehicles)”.
NORTH KASHMIR
The ban on civilian traffic on the Baramulla-Srinagarhighway caused inconvenience to hundreds of people in northern Kashmirdistricts, including Baramulla, on Sunday.
Mehmooda Begum, an elderly woman with her daughter had beenwaiting for two hours at tehsil road Baramulla on Sunday morning with the hopethat some help will arrive so that she could reach Srinagar to attend herdaughter at the maternity LD hospital.
“We don’t have our own vehicle. We are waiting here for somevehicle to come and give us a lift and drop us at Srinagar. My elder daughterhas recently given birth to a girl child at LD hospital Srinagar. I haveprepared lunch for her but don’t know how to reach there,” Mehmooda, who wastaking rest on a roadside pavement, said.
Like Mehmooda, hundreds of people, who had to visit theirrelatives or attend to some unavoidable social gatherings, were seen waitingendlessly on the highway “for help”.
“This traffic ban is the worst punishment being given to thepeople of Kashmir. We were supposed to attend a function at Ganderbal, but thepublic transport is off the roads. We don’t know what to do,” saidGhulamRasool, a resident of Baramulla.
The Srinagar-Baramulla highway witnessed a deserted look.The police and CRPF personnel were deployed at several places along the highwayto ensure strict implementation of the ban.
In Baramulla town, barbed wire was placed on severalbridges, connecting old town with the civil line area, on Saturday evening.
“We have seen curbs on Fridays or during some otherdisturbances, but we haven’t witnessed such restrictions ever,” said TariqAhmad, a resident of old town Baramulla.
Deputy commissioner Baramulla GN Itoo said permission wasgranted to several people to travel on the highway.
He said they received 17 applications seeking permission totravel on the highway and it was granted.
“Around 120 vehicles including those from emergencyservices, ambulances, political parties and others were also granted permissionto ply on the highway,” Itoo said.
SOUTH KASHMIR
The highway closure caused huge inconvenience to people insouthern Kashmir areas as well.
The new highway stretch saw thin movement of civiliantraffic. Forces personnel were seen patrolling the highway, while barricadeshad been erected at several intersections to enforce the ban.
Thick presence of forces personnel was seen at severalpoints, including Lower Munda, Qazigund, Galender, PanthaChowk, Mir Bazar andVesu.
The commuters complained that men-in-uniform conductedfrisking of travelers and demanded movement passes issued by districtmagistrates.
“Travelling from Srinagar to Anantnag was a harrowingexperience today. My patients were waiting at my clinic in Anantnag butunfortunately I could not reach in time. The delay forced many patients toleave the clinic without consultation,” said a doctor, who wished not to benamed.
Hundreds of patients from Shopian, Kulgam, Tral, Awantiporaand Pulwama could not reach private clinics and hospitals in Anantnag due tothe highway traffic ban.
“I had an appointment with an ophthalmologist for my eyesurgery at Anantnag but due to lack of transport I could not reach there. Thehighway closure has made hundreds of patients to suffer,” said Abdul Ahad, apatient.
Several students also missed Sunday classes at IGNOU studycenters.
“I missed a very important lecture at IGNOU study center atSP college Srinagar. I don’t know how to appear in the Sunday classes when Idon’t have my own vehicle. I urge the government to help the IGNOU students andprovide them with some transport facility on Sundays,” said Insha fromAwantipora.
Meanwhile, people at Badargund area in Qazigund alleged thatgovernment forces entered their area and disrupted a wedding party. Forcesthrashed several people who had gathered for lunch inside a tent, they alleged.
“Many guests received injuries and were treated in nearesthealth facilities”.
However, the police denied the allegations as baseless.
RAMBAN
Meanwhile, the ban on movement of civilian traffic wasstrictly imposed on Jammu-Srinagar highway from Nashri to Jawahar tunnel.
Vehicles fitted with public address systems were seen makingannouncements regarding the highway traffic ban, across the district on Sunday.
“It looks like the district has been handed over to securityforces. All link roads have been blocked with concertina wire,” said residentsof Ramban town.
Locals alleged that the civil administration officers in thedistrict ignored their pleas to allow them to ply along the highway.
( ALTAF BABA/ IRFAN AMIN MALIK / MM PARVAIZ