--°C
Loading...
Listen to Article
2 min read
80%

According to Harshavardhan Shingha, Chief Coordinator G20, India is halfway through its G20 presidency, with 118 meetings held across the country so far.

Digital Desk: Jammu and Kashmir will host the third tourism working group conference of G20 countries beginning today in the capital Srinagar, amid strict security. This is the region's first major international event since the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status and robbed the state of its independence in August 2019.

Parts of Srinagar city and highways leading to the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre, or SKICC, the venue for the G20 conference, have been gleamingly remodelled.

According to Harshavardhan Shingha, Chief Coordinator G20, India is halfway through its G20 presidency, with 118 meetings held across the country so far.

Srinagar: 

Jammu and Kashmir will host the third tourism working group conference of G20 countries in Srinagar beginning today, amid strict security. This is the first major international event in the region since the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status and deprived the state of its independence in August 2019.

Parts of Srinagar city and highways leading to the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre, or SKICC, the site of the G20 conference, have been gleamingly remodelled.

According to Harshavardhan Shingha, Chief Coordinator G20, India is halfway through its G20 chairmanship, with 118 meetings held across the country.

He stated that the Srinagar gathering had the most participants in comparison to two previous tourist meetings.

The summit will be attended by approximately 60 delegates from G20 member countries. According to officials, Singapore is sending the most delegates to the Srinagar event.

Delegates from special invitee guest countries are also present at the gathering.

China has spoken out against holding a G20 summit in Kashmir, and Saudi Arabia has not registered for the event. Turkey looks to have chosen not to attend the Srinagar meeting.

"China firmly opposes holding G20 meetings in disputed areas in any form and will not attend such meetings," said Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

India responded to the criticism by stating that it is free to host meetings on its own territory. It stated that peace and tranquillity on its border are necessary for regular relations with China.

This was China's first sharply worded statement on the G20 summit in Srinagar.

Srinagar is under exceptional security precautions ahead of the conference. As part of the ground-to-air security cover, marine commandos and national security guards have been deployed.

Anti-drone units have been activated, and national security guards have been stationed at important locations and sites.

Thousands of troops from the Army, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been deployed as part of the security grid, amid allegations that terrorists may attempt to disrupt the G20 summit in Kashmir.

The police have issued traffic advisories, and no vehicles will be permitted to travel on Srinagar's boulevard road. There are additional traffic restrictions on the route taken by G20 delegates.

Shopkeepers in the Lal Chowk area have been handed special passes to allow them to keep their businesses open without incident.

A substantial renovation was provided to areas of Srinagar city and the road from Srinagar airport to SKICC in advance of the meeting.

Footpaths and roadways in Srinagar are being redesigned as part of the smart city initiative. While the Jhelum riverside was refurbished with the installation of concrete footpaths, Poloview Market, one of Srinagar's most popular shopping destinations, received a sparkling makeover. The market's four-lane road connector has been closed. It has recently been tiled and converted into a pedestrian-only market.

G20 delegates are also likely to visit Poloview market, which has become a postcard of Srinagar's smart city project, as part of the tourist agenda.

According to officials, the G20 conference would promote tourism in Kashmir, which already receives a considerable number of local and foreign visitors.

The success of the upcoming G-20 tourism working group meeting will enhance the number of tourists and investments in Jammu and Kashmir, said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday.





 

FOLLOW US F
POPULAR
FEATURE
TRENDY
Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Dies in Tragic Car Crash
Toddler Drowns in Pond During Visit to Maternal Uncle’s House
"UAE Has Been Like a Spiritual Home for Afghan Cricket," -Rashid Khan
Techie Caught Red-Handed Filming Woman in Infosys Office Washroom
Special Initiative by Assam Human Rights Commission for the Third Gender
India Responds to "Misquoted" Remarks on Operation Sindoor: Embassy Clarifies Defence Attache's Comments