PM arrives in Srinagar today on 2-day visit, will lead Yoga Day event on June 21

SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday embarked on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir where he will inaugurate or kick start projects worth Rs 1,500 crore and participate in the International Yoga Day.

“Leaving for Srinagar, where I will be taking part in two programmes. Later this evening, I will be at the ‘Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K’ programme, which focuses on youth-led development.

“Key projects worth over Rs 1500 crore will be inaugurated or their foundation stones would be laid. These works cover infrastructure, water supply, education and more. Tomorrow morning, I will take part in the Yoga Day programme in Srinagar,” the prime minister posted on X before leaving for Srinagar.

This is Prime Minister Modi’s first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking charge at the Centre for the third term.

He will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of multiple development projects in J&K worth over Rs 1,500 crore. He will also launch competitiveness Improvement in Agriculture and Allied Sectors Project (JKCIP) worth Rs 1,800 crore.

“On 21st June, around 6.30 am, the prime minister will participate in the 10th International Day of Yoga event at SKICC in Srinagar. The prime minister will address the gathering on the occasion and take part in the CYP Yoga session thereafter,” an official handout from the Press Information Bureau said.

Stringent multi-layer security arrangements have been put in place for the prime minister’s two-day visit to Kashmir. More than 7,000 participants will join him in performing yoga on Friday on the banks of picturesque Dal Lake, officials said.

The participants have been trained over the past three days in the yoga ‘Asanas’ to be performed by the prime minister, the officials said.

Security forces personnel have been deployed in strength across the Srinagar city to ensure that the prime minister’s visit passes off peacefully, they said.

The roads leading to SKICC have been sealed, they said.

The sanitisation operation at the SKICC was concluded on Tuesday and the background security check of all officials of the SKICC, security personnel and others on duty, and the sportspersons who will attend has been conducted, they said.

As part of the security measures, the Srinagar Police declared the city a ‘Temporary Red Zone’ for the operation of drones and quadcopters.

“Srinagar city has been declared as ‘Temporary Red Zone’ for the operation of drones and quadcopters as per provisions of Rule 24(2) of Drone Rules, 2021 with immediate effect,” the Srinagar Police said on X on June 18.

All unauthorised drone operations in the “red zone” are liable to being penalised according to provisions of the drone rules, the police said.

Ahead of the main function on Friday, a series of yoga events have been held over the past three days at many places in the city and elsewhere in the valley, the officials said.

A yoga event was held near the iconic clock tower at the Lal Chowk city centre here while a mega yoga camp was held at Polo Ground on Wednesday, they said.

Another event was also held at the SKICC here, the officials said, adding similar events were held at many places in the Valley to mark the celebrations for the 10th IYD. (PTI)