The A9 highway linking the south and north is to be officially declared open on Thursday with some 200 trucks owned by private traders set to roll in after a lapse of nearly three years, a senior Government official said yesterday.
The Commissioner General for Essential Services,
S.B. Divaratne told the Sunday Times that trucks carrying goods of several leading companies would be part of the convoy that would mark the beginning of trade normalisation between the north and south.
Unlike in the times of conflict between the security forces and the LTTE, the trucks would be spared of any searches, Mr. Divaratne said.
At least 25 leading companies involved in footwear, hardware items, soft drinks, soaps, cosmetics and other businesses have already been listed for the initial trip.
On the return journey, the trucks will be loaded with produce such as onions, fruits, tobacco and a variety of sea food from the Jaffna peninsula for sale in the south, Mr Divaratne said.
The entire movement on the A9 will soon be liberalized to allow civilian traffic as well with no restrictions or prohibitions in any form, Mr. Divaratne said.
Meanwhile, the Jaffna Traders Association has already informed the farmers in the area to bring their produce to designated collecting centers on Wednesday morning for transport to the south.
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