Governor reviews Srinagar-Lakhanpur Highway

Srinagar, Aug 3 (UNI) Movement of fruit-ladden trucks from Kashmir to different markets in the country and of various essential commodities to the Valley has gained further momentum with the National Highway from Srinagar to Lakhanpur being fully sanitised by the Security Forces.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor, N N Vohra, has been personally monitoring the movement of supplies to the Kashmir valley and the overall situation in the Jammu region.

He has given strict instructions to the Administration to ensure uninterrupted flow of supplies across Banihal. He has also reiterated his appeal to the people of Jammu to maintain calm.

Mr Vohra was informed late last night that the National Highway had been fully restored from Banihal to Lakhanpur.

The Governor was informed that all the 400 Jammu-bound trucks were cleared yesterday for their onward movement to respective destinations, while 126 fruit-laden trucks and 45 empty tankers and mercantile trucks left the Valley for Jammu this morning.

Further, 122 trucks carrying essential commodities moved this morning from Jammu to Srinagar.These included 64 oil tankers.

Another 52 oil tankers are moving to Srinagar today.

Reports submitted to the Governor today furnished the details of the fruit-laden trucks which had crossed Lakhanpur and of the movement of essential commodities to the Valley during the past three days.

As many as 178 fruit trucks, 230 light motor vehicles and 300 empty trucks crossed Lakhanpur on August 1, while 148 trucks carrying rice, cement, coal and other commodities and 22 tankers carrying petrol, diesel and kerosene oil reached Srinagar. Also, 130 fruit trucks crossed Lakhanpur, while 165 trucks carrying different essentials reached the Valley yesterday.

The Fruit Growers Association had urged the State Government to ensure the safe movement of 400-500 trucks stranded at various points on the Highway, which has been fully secured and the landslides due to incessant rains at Dhar Road have been cleared.

As per the Governor's directions, the Administration is monitoring, round-the-clock, movement of supplies and fruit-laden trucks.

The Fruit Growers have been asked to line up all fruit trucks at Lower Munda for being dispatched in a convoy to Lakhanpur.

Meanwhile, Mr Vohra has directed for speeding up of Sales Tax processing at Lakhanpur to ensure against delays and piling up of vehicles on this account.

Observing that the Government is taking all necessary steps to ensure uninterrupted movement of supplies, the Governor has appealed to the people in the Valley not to get swayed by the false propaganda by people with vested interests.

He also discounted any apprehension about the shortage of essential commodities and said that adequate stocks are available in the Valley.

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