Registration of stranded passengers stopped

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 12

After Monday’s ugly incident here, the civil administration and the police on Tuesday stopped the registration process of the stranded passengers in the winter capital, leaving many people high and dry.

No sortie was arranged today for the stranded passengers, with the administration trying to open the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which was partially opened to vehicles stuck on the highway.

In the past two days 893 people, including GATE aspirants, students and women, were air-lifted from Jammu to Srinagar in C-17 Globemaster of the Indian Air Force (IAF), but today no sortie was arranged. People kept waiting for a message from the civil administration as the only registration counter at the Mufti hostel near GGM Science College was closed after yesterday’s incident at the place.

The situation became tense after some miscreants among the protesting stranded passengers yesterday allegedly raised pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans. Reacting to this, some students of GGM Science College threw stones at stranded passengers in the Mufti hostel. The police had to cane-charge the students in which a few students received minor injuries.

This morning, SSP, Jammu, sent a message that the registration had been stopped and people should stay wherever they were. “There is no registration anywhere for stranded passengers. Please inform people to stay where they are and not to go anywhere and put them to inconvenience. Many people are coming towards Bathindi where we have kept stranded passengers and people are being told to stay at their respective locations,” Tejinder Singh, SSP, Jammu, said.

Meanwhile, the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was thrown open partially and 250 light motor vehicles stranded on the highway and 300 oil tankers were allowed to proceed towards Srinagar. But the slides at Marog in Ramban district and shooting stones in the Panthal area have kept the administration on its toes.

Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sanjeev Verma told The Tribune that the highway had been opened partially, but no sortie was arranged today. “We are aware of the weather forecast and any further decision will be taken accordingly,” he said.

When asked how many people were stranded in Jammu, Verma replied, “We have sent back almost all stranded passengers, and those people, who claim to be stranded, are either relatives of Durbar move employees who had come to Jammu earlier or have come from Delhi or other places.”

‘Langar’ organised 

Since hundreds of Kashmir-bound passengers are stranded in the winter capital due to the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, social bodies and political leaders came to their rescue and organised ‘langar’ for them. The Sikh community offered free food to the stranded passengers. National Conference provincial president Devender Rana also distributed food among passengers at the bus stand.