Hours after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah announced that there will be no ‘green corridor’ or traffic restrictions during his road movements to avoid causing inconvenience to the public.
The National Conference (NC) leader, who assumed office as the head of the first elected government in the union territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to make this announcement.
“I have spoken to the DG @JmuKmrPolice that there is to be no ‘green corridor’ or traffic stoppage when I move anywhere by road. I have instructed him to minimise public inconvenience & the use of sirens is to be minimal,” Abdullah posted just three hours after taking charge.
The move follows his precedent from his previous tenure as chief minister (2009-2014), when he directed his convoy to follow regular traffic rules, setting an example of public-cantered governance.
Abdullah further emphasised: “The use of any stick-waving or aggressive gestures is to be totally avoided. I’m asking my cabinet colleagues to follow the same example. In everything, our conduct must be people friendly. We are here to serve the people, not to inconvenience them.”
Abdullah’s gesture was widely appreciated as part of his efforts to maintain a seamless and non-disruptive environment for the public in the region.