J&K: Know how Srinagar is preparing for G20 meet
The administration of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has implemented high-profile security measures ahead of the three-day G20 tourism meeting, which begins on May 22. Around 1,000 CCTV cameras have been installed, and specialized forces such as the National Security Guard (NSG) have been deployed in the summer capital of Srinagar. Over 100 delegates, including at least 70 representing G20 member-states, are expected to attend.
Why does this story matter?
The third G20 tourism working group meeting, which will take place in Srinagar, would be the first such international event held by J&K since it became a Union Territory (UT) in 2019. The meeting is expected to draw a lot of attention because Kashmir, which has been plagued by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for decades, will be hosting delegates from many countries.
Police conducting surprise checks of public and private vehicles
The police have been conducting surprise checks of public and private vehicles on all main roads, and "speculative searches" are also being done at numerous places regularly. Authorities have also summoned, questioned, and detained scores of locals who have been under the radar of army, paramilitary, or police forces over the past couple of decades.
NIA conducted over 70 raids in J&K in 2 weeks
Over the last two weeks, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a minimum of 70 raids across J&K in relation to militancy case, per reports. According to an official in the know, the purpose of the raids was "to maintain pressure on suspect militant sympathizer networks so that they won't be able to formalize any plan around the meeting."
G20 meet to happen at International Convention Centre: Know more
The delegates will participate in the main meeting at the International Convention Centre on the banks of Dal Lake. They will also visit the nearby Royal Spring Golf Course and make a day-long trip to the infamous meadow and ski destination of Gulmarg, approximately 50km away from Srinagar, along the Line of Control (LOC) in Baramulla district of northern Kashmir.
Details on delegates' three-day schedule in J&K
According to the reported schedule, the delegates will go on a tour around Srinagar after deliberations with stakeholders in the tourism sector on day one. A preliminary plan to take them to Gulmarg overnight on day two has been scrapped, as per the news outlet The Indian Express. Reportedly, the logistics of taking almost 150 people to Gulmarg were considered "unfeasible" amid security concerns.
Plans to visit Dachigam National Park canceled: Report
"It is a big contingent of foreign dignitaries, and traveling by road for over an hour poses its own challenges in a sensitive region like ours. If possible, only a few delegates might be taken to Gulmarg," Economic Times quoted a senior official as saying. The administration earlier also canceled plans to visit Dachigam National Park, around 20km from the Srinagar city center.
