Srinagar, September 9: The Additional Director General of Police for Kashmir said on Saturday that as an urgent step, VVIPs and senior officials moving on the National Highway will not impede regular traffic.
On Saturday, Vijay Kumar led a high-level meeting with officers from the Police, security forces, and other intelligence agencies in the Anantnag district. The purpose of the meeting was to review the security of the National Highway and the SOPs that security forces are following when moving a group.
At the meeting were 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, SSsP of Anantnag and Kulgam districts, SP Awantipora, SP Cargo, and other officers.Vijay Kumar told all the officers who were taking part that they should do a joint survey “of NHW as it relates to convoy movement in their AOR and recommend some changes where and if possible to change the SOPs so that civilian traffic can move smoothly during convoy movements without being slowed down too much.”
During the meeting, the ADGP Kashmir told the SSsP, CAPFs and Army Officers to find the spots on the National Highway where engineering work is needed to raise the heights of barriers, direct side entries and make U-turns. They were also told to find places where service lanes are needed and send a joint suggestion for places where underpasses or overpasses are needed to keep traffic moving smoothly on the National Highway.
ADGP Kashmir also told the heads of the districts to find places where more CCTVs can be put up. The officer also told them to use SHOs and SDPOs on NHW when the group moved through dangerous areas. ADGP Kashmir also told the officers that they should try to stop illegal building and help the civil government and national roads authority get rid of illegal buildings on the National Highway.
During the meeting, it was decided that no civilian traffic would be stopped on the National Highway when VVIPs and senior officers were travelling on the National Highway. This was done as an urgent step, and it was also decided to suggest other ways to keep civilian traffic moving smoothly.
At the meeting, the officers were also told to do a joint study and make standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help traffic flow without putting convoys’ safety at risk. These new SOPs would be sent up the chain of command to be approved. “Also, lateral entries on the National Highway would get extra attention, and more Nafri might be sent there.”
In order to keep traffic moving smoothly, the ADGP of Kashmir asked the Traffic Police to put more people on important and busy laterals.
All district SsPs were also told to get specific information, start anti-terrorist operations along the NHW, and take formal action against OGWs who work in these places.
