Security agencies in Kashmir Wednesday claimed to have framed a “people-friendly” plan for movement of forces’ convoys and ensure that civilian traffic is not halted more than twice a day, officials said.
To begin with, all forces’ vehicles will halt at Qazigundalong the Srinagar-Jammu highway and would be allowed to proceed towardsSrinagar “only after a security clearance from all parties,” an official toldGreater Kashmir.
The police teams will support the road opening parties(ROPs) of the central reserve police force (CRPF) and the army in securingroads from improvised explosive devices and other explosive materials aimed attargeting these convoys, the official said.
The need for a new convoy plan was felt after a suicide bombattack on a CRPF convoy at Lethpora, Pulwama on February 14 left more than 40personnel of the force dead and over two dozen others injured.
Top security officials from the police, CRPF and the armysaid they started “mass consultations” after the union home minister RajnathSingh made an announcement in Srinagar on February 15 that civilians will haveto cooperate with the administration and forces as “all civilian vehicles wouldbe stopped during movement of forces’ convoys.”
A police official, privy to the new convoy movement plan,said they aim to ensure that there is “less trouble for civilians.”
“We are in touch with the traffic department and seekingtheir cooperation for smooth flow of forces’ convoys from Srinagar to Qazigundand vice-versa,” he said, wishing not to be named. At Qazigund, the officialsaid, all forces’ convoys will stop until all vehicles of the fleet reach thesame point.
“Thereafter, the convoy of 100, 200 or 300 vehicles wouldproceed towards their destinations in Srinagar or elsewhere in one queue butnot before getting a security and road clearance of the ROPs,” he said, adding:”The primary convoy movement will be in the morning hours. No movement offorces’ convoy will take place during evening hours as it would add to the riskfactor.”
Inspector general of CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi said duringthe convoy movement, civilian traffic would be halted “but not for longdurations”.
“We are trying to ensure that civilian traffic is not haltedmore than twice a day,” he said. “Since the ministry of home affairs hasapproved air travel for the forces personnel of even lower ranks, the frequencyof convoys on roads has decreased and so has the risk of attacks.”
He also confirmed that the vehicles ferrying forcespersonnel will halt for “vehicle and men count” at Qazigund, “wait forclearance and then proceed”.
Another source said the convoys traveling to Jammu will alsofollow the same procedure.