Civilian Traffic Banned On Baramulla-Udhampur Highway, Hundreds Left Stranded

Srinagar: Over hundreds were left stranded after the ban on civilian traffic for two days a week on the Baramulla-Udhampur highway started today. Heavy security has been deployed along the 270-km-long highway to enforce the ban on civilian traffic, so that the road is kept open exclusively for convoys of the security forces every Sunday and Wednesday.

The ban was imposed to prevent any attack similar to the suicide bombing on Jammu-Srinagar highway at Pulwama on February 14 that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

Duty magistrates have been deployed along the highway to issue special travel passes for emergency services, officials said.

The move of the state administration has been criticized by political parties and civil society groups who said banning civilian traffic over security concerns has never happened in the past and it was a drastic step, instead of finding alternatives.

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