The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday completely lifted the restrictions on civilian traffic on the 55-km Srinagar-Baramulla stretch of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.
However, restrictions on the 220-km Srinagar-Udhampur stretch of the highway will continue to remain for two days in a week — Wednesday and Sunday — given the polls in Anantnag constituency of South Kashmir.
The decision was taken after the government reviewed the requirement of security forces in the light of successful conduct of elections in Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
"The requirement of security forces is now reducing. Therefore, the government has decided to further relax the restrictions on traffic. The restriction on civilian movement between Srinagar and Baramulla on NH-44 will be completely lifted from May 2. There would be no prohibition on the civilian traffic in this stretch on Sunday or Wednesday," said an official spokesman.
Earlier, on April 22, the government relaxed the restriction period for civilian traffic movement from two days to one day on the Baramulla-Srinagar stretch.
"The restrictions would continue between Srinagar and Udhampur on NH-44 as earlier. However, these would be reviewed periodically and relaxation would be made as the need for restriction reduces. The government is monitoring the convoy's needs of security forces on a real-time basis and making all attempts to minimise public inconvenience," said the spokesman.
On April 3, the J&K government banned civilian traffic on the National Highway right from Baramulla to Udhampur on every Sunday and Wednesday and reserved the two days exclusively for the movement of security forces' convoys. The government gave the possibility of a fidayeen terror attack and general elections as the reasons for the order.