Train service was resumed on Saturday after remaining suspended for two days for security reasons in the Kashmir valley, where separatists had called for two-day general strike from August 30 against alleged attempts to weaken the Article 35 A which has been challenged in the Supreme Court (SC).
The Supreme Court yesterday deferred the case till second week of January next year.
All trains were resumed in the Kashmir valley since this morning, a senior railway official told media Morning trains were running in the valley smoothly.
He said train service was suspended between Badgam-Srinagar-Anantnag-Qazigund in south Kashmir to Banihal in Jammu region on Wednesday after an encounter ensued in Anantnag. Two Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militants were killed in the encounter by security forces.
However, train service was also suspended on Srinagar-Badgam-Baramulla in north Kashmir on August 30 and 31 for security reasons.
The Joint Resistance Leadership (JLR), comprising Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Mohammad Yaseen Malik, has called for two-day general strike from August 30 against attempts to weaken Article 35 A. The strike call was supported by traders, transporters, civil society and religious organizations.
About half a dozen petitions filed in Supreme court challenging the Article . However, counter petitions were also filed by mainstream parties. All the petitions came up for hearing in SC yesterday and it was deferred till January second week on an application by state government.
He said trains were main target during strikes and other disturbances in the valley in the past.
However, train service, which is very cheap, safe and fast as compared to other mode of transport, remained first preference for people travelling between north to south and Banial in Jammu region.
