The businesses in the Kashmir valley remained open for second consecutive day today following the two-day “relaxation” in shutdown announced by the separatist leaders that has allowed working of markets and movement of public transport.
The markets across the Valley remained open for the second day and rush of shoppers continued to remain high, at times forcing traffic jams in Srinagar city, the state’s summer capital where roads had remained deserted for months.
The public transport, which suffered the most paralysing impact of the unrest, also had a second consecutive work day today as passenger buses, cabs and auto-rickshaws plied on all routes. It is the fourth full-day of work for public transport sector in the region during the past five months of the Valley unrest.
The full-day “relaxation” in the shutdown had been announced by the separatist leadership, which has been jointly drafting week-long protest calendars to steer the unrest. The calendars have scheduled shutdowns, work hours, protests and marches.
The unrest, sparked by the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8, has been one of the most widespread and violent spell of agitation in the region in recent years. More than 80 protesters were killed and several thousand were wounded as police and paramilitary forces attempted to quell the demonstrations.
However, the unrest, now in its fifth month, has increasingly shown signs of retreat in recent weeks, mainly due to three factors: arrest of several thousand protesters, an overwhelming fatigue after months of demonstrations and one of the lengthiest spell of uninterrupted shutdown, and the arrival of winter season.
There have been no major incidents of protests or marches anywhere in the region for the past month. Shutdowns, the last remaining vestige of the unrest, have also become increasingly ineffectual as public movement has significantly increased in recent weeks, and private and government offices remain open round the week.
Unrest abates
The unrest, now in its fifth month, has increasingly shown signs of retreat in recent weeks, mainly due to three factors: arrest of several thousand protesters, an overwhelming fatigue after months of demonstrations and one of the lengthiest spell of uninterrupted shutdown, and the arrival of the winter season.
City witnessed massive traffic jams as shoppers throng markets
