Srinagar: ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar on Saturday chaired a high-level meeting with the officers of Police, security forces and other intelligence agencies in Anantnag district to review the security of Jammu-Srinagar Highway and SOPs being followed by security forces during convoy movement.
According to a statement issued from Zonal Police Headquarters Srinagar, the meeting was attended by GOC Victor Force, IG Traffic J&K, Army’s Sector Commander 1st, DIG Police SKR, DIG BSF, DIG SSB, DIG CRPF Awantipora, DIG CRPF Anantnag, DIG BSF, DDIB, Additional Commander SB, SSPs of Anantnag, Kulgam districts, SP Awantipora, SP Cargo and other officers.
ADGP Vijay Kumar impressed upon all the participating officers to conduct a joint survey of Jammu-Srinagar highway and Convoy movement in their AOR and recommend some changes where and if possible, to modify the SOPs in order to maintain a smooth flow of civilian traffic during Convoy movements without unnecessary hindrance. During the meeting, ADGP Kashmir directed the SSPs and CAPFs/Army Officers to identify the spots on Jammu-Srinagar Highway where engineering intervention is required in raising heights of dividers, direct lateral entries and U-turn on Jammu-Srinagar Highway. The ADGP also directed the officers to identify the spots where service lane is required and also send joint recommendation where underpass or over pass are required to maintain the smooth flow of traffic on National Highway.
The ADGP Kashmir further directed the district heads to identify the spots where additional CCTVs can be installed and subsequently also directed them to employ SHOs/SDPOs on NHW during convoy movement at vulnerable spots. The officers were also stressed by ADGP Kashmir to discourage the illegal construction and also to assist civil administration and Jammu-Srinagar highway authority to remove such illegal structures on theHighway.
During the meeting, it was decided that no civil traffic will be stopped on National Highway during VVIPs /Senior Officers movement on National Highway as an immediate measure and also to suggest additional measures for smooth flow of civilian traffic in phased manners. The officers participating in the meeting were also asked to conduct joint survey and prepare SOPs to facilitate the free flow of traffic without compromising the security of Convoys in phase manner. This new SOPs would be submitted to higher ups for further approval besides which special attention shall be given to lateral entries on the Highway and additional Nafri shall be deployed on laterals. In order to maintain smooth flow of vehicles, ADGP Kashmir urged Traffic police to deploy additional manpower on important/busy laterals.
All districts SPs were also instructed to generate specific inputs and launch anti-terrorist operations along the sides of the highway and take legal actions against OGWs operating in these areas.