Narendra Modi to visit Srinagar today; Omar claims, employees being compelled by J&K govt to attend PM rally

Srinagar: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit, Srinagar city has been declared 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”, Jammu and Kashmir Police posted on X.

It said all unauthorised drone operations in the Red Zone are liable to be penalised as per relevant provisions of Drone Rules, 2021.

“As responsible citizens, your cooperation is solicited in this regard”, police added.

Traffic advisory issued for PM Modi’s Srinagar visit

J&K Traffic Police have issued an advisory imposing restrictions on certain routes during PM Modi’s visit to Srinagar.

During his scheduled visit, the PM will address a public rally at Bakshi stadium and dedicate to the nation about Rs 5000 crore worth programmes for boosting the agri-economy in J&K.

According to the advisory, the traffic movement from Jehangir Chowk till Rambagh and Rajbagh till Lala Ded Hospital-Tulsi Bagh route shall be restricted from 4 am to 7 pm.

"All such motorists intending to travel towards Jehangir Chowk from Rambagh & vice versa are advised to adopt interior roads and to use the alternate road from Rambagh-Hyderpora- Moominabad- Batmaloo road instead of Solina-Magarmal Bagh axis,” the advisory read.

The traffic assistance points for all such vehicles shall be placed at Rambagh, Baghat- Hyderpora, Moominabad & Batmaloo for ensuring smooth movement towards Jehangir Chowk & vice versa.

Likewise, motorists intending to travel from Radio Kashmir- Rajbagh & adjacent areas towards Solina-Rambagh and vice versa have been advised to use interior roads and to travel via M A/RR Road- Jehangir Chowk Batmaloo- Moominabad-Hyderpora route instead of Rajbagh-Jawahar Nagar-LD Hospital-Tulsi Bagh Road axis to reach their respective destinations.

Traffic Assistance points for all such vehicles shall be placed at Radio Kashmir-Rajbagh, Regal- HSHS-Jehangir Chowk, Batmaloo, Hyderpora, Baghat & Rambagh.

The advisory said that the movement of vehicles from Panthachowk towards Sonwar and vice versa will be discouraged.

The police have requested the students who have to appear in the examination to carry valid ID cards and roll number slips and reach their examination centres before 8-30 am and leave the examination centers after 3 pm to avoid any inconvenience.

The students will be facilitated at all traffic assistance points, police said.

Movement of vehicles from Police Golf course, Hotel Lalit towards Gupkar and Ram Munshi Bagh will be restricted.

Motorists have been advised to avoid travelling on Gupkar Road and use Dalgate Nehru Park Road to reach their destinations.

The advisory has asked citizens to avoid travel from Rajbagh-LD Hospital- Rambagh, Jehangir Chowk-Magarmal Bagh -Solina Route and GupkarRam Munshi Bagh–Sonwar Road stretch.

Emergency vehicles shall be allowed to take the shortest route, they said.

For any assistance, citizens can contact traffic police on special service number 103.

The advisory has been issued to avoid congestion on various routes during the PM's visit.

Employees being compelled by J&K govt to attend PM rally: Omar

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said the J&K government has "pulled out" all stops to give the Prime Minister a crowd for the public rally in Srinagar because the "BJP can’t manage anything in J&K without the administration".

The PM is addressing his first rally in Kashmir after the scrapping of special status at Bakshi stadium on Thursday. BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir chief Ravinder Raina recently said a two-lakh-strong crowd will join Modi’s rally in Kashmir.

However, the former chief minister Omar Abdullah said the men and women employees are being asked to assemble in the freezing temperatures to be bused to the venue where the PM will address the rally.

“Tomorrow the godi media & agencies will be gushing about the “historic crowd” gathered to hear PM Modi in Srinagar. What they will conveniently forget to mention is that almost none of the people there will be attending of their own free will. The dictatorial J&K Govt has pulled out all stops to give the PM a crowd because the BJP can’t manage anything in J&K without the administration,” Omar said in a post on X.

“Employees, men & women both, in their 1000s are being asked to assemble between 4:30 AM & 5:30 AM in the freezing temperatures to be bused to the venue. This participation isn’t optional, it’s compulsory. Employees who don’t show up are been threatened with disciplinary action by their Dept heads,” he added.

Omar said private schools like DPS Etc have had their buses commandeered to transport all these employees to the venue.

“I have lists running into the 1000s with department details, addresses & mobile numbers plus transport details. I’ve redacted a portion of one page out of 140 pages. This is the naya J&K but like I said Godi Media won’t report this. They prefer “three families”, “new era of development” yada yada,” Omar said while posting a document of a list containing names of a few government employees along with a transport plan for the VVIP visit.