Banihal: To the much annoyance of the commuters the two-and-half kilometres long Jawahar tunnel, connecting Kashmir with Jammu region on Jammu-Srinagar highway has been shut for night traffic movement since August 19 in wake of current unrest. The government move to close the tunnel for the night traffic has been a source of naissance who allege that in the name of ‘crisis and security’ they are not being forced to spend nights near the tunnel but also being frisked and questioned multiple times.
Pertinently, the Jawahar Tunnel had been shut for the night traffic in 1990 while the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed shortly after assuming the charge of the State in 2002 had thrown the tunnel open for 24 hours, much to the relief of the common people. However, on the directions of incumbent Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti the tunnel was closed for night movement on 19 August last month and since then it has compounded the woes of serious patients, examinees, office-goers, employees, drivers and students.
The restriction on the movement of traffic before 6 pm and after 9 am has been the cause of regular traffic snarls on the NH-44 here for past one month. “The stranded vehicles occupy half of the existing double-lane NH-44, especially at Batote, Nashri, Peeda, Chanderkot, Ramban, Khooni Nullah, Banihal and Shaitani Nullah, it leaves only half of the road for the two-way traffic to pass in the morning. Besides the ‘unnecessary’ frisking of vehicles amid traffic jam by CRPF personnel turns the situation ugly. There is mismanagement all around and in the name of security and unrest people are being harassed,” the commuters told news agency CNS.
An official said that the restriction was imposed on August 19 following the growing attacks on the Srinagar-bound vehicles by miscreants in the Valley. “Once the situation improves, tunnel will be thrown open for traffic round the clock,” he said.
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