[Reader-list] Four times more trucks plying on Jammu-Srinagar highway: Home Secretary

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

*Four times more trucks plying on Jammu-Srinagar highway: Home Secretary*

*By Naveen Kapoor - Asian News International*

*New Delhi, Aug 18 (ANI):* As pitch of the separatist protests and
sloganeering reaches feverish pitch in the Valley, Indian government today
said that the situation is fast returning to normal and the so called
economic blockade of highway to Srinagar which is the rallying point for the
separatists protests in the valley is no more prevalent.

In fact, the Government said that there were some obstructions initially but
the number of trucks plying on the highway has risen manifold.

Union Home secretary Madhukar Gupta told reporters that highway is moving
"regularly and freely".

Giving the number of trucks plying on the highway, Gupta said: From 8 p.m.
on August17 to 8 a.m. on August 18, 480 trucks carrying various commodities
like meat, LPG tankers and essential products traveled from Jammu to
Srinagar.

He added that 550 trucks plied from Srinagar to Jammu out of which 415
trucks were carrying fruits.

On a normal day nearly 100-150 trucks ply on both of these busy routes and
local authorities say that may be because of the backlog such heavy movement
of trucks is witnessed.

Meanwhile New Delhi has once again reiterated its willingness to open up the
trade route between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Ravlakote, which
was taken by India in composite Dialogue with Pakistan in July 2005.

India also blamed Pakistan for creating obstacles in opening of trade route
by insisting on procedural issues.

Reacting sharply on separatists march to the UN office in Srinagar today and
Pakistans attempt to internationalise the issue, Gupta said: Jammu and
Kashmir is not an international issue, it is an internal issue but
unfortunately Pakistan and people with secessionist tendencies have
unfortunately tried to internationalise this issue and there is no doubt
that it is our internal issue. (ANI)