Marine commandos sanitise Kashmir ahead of G20 meeting

Security has been heightened across Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the G20 meeting beginning on May 22.

Marine commandos have been carrying out security drills inside Dal Lake in Srinagar while NSG commandos have started frisking and search operations in city centre Lal Chowk.

The G20 meeting will be held at the SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake. The participants will stay at the Gulmarg hill station and also visit some places of tourist interest.

An elaborate make-over exercise has been going on in Srinagar city for the last four months to give a facelift to roads, bridges, buildings, gardens and parks.

An exhaustive campaign encompassing security, hospitality and protocol has been going on here to make the G20 meeting a resounding success that would put Kashmir back on the World tourism map.

All vehicles entering Srinagar city are being searched and the occupants frisked before they are allowed entry.

Scores of motorcycles without registration papers, driving licences and riders without crash helmets are being stopped and such motorcycles are seized and kept at local police stations till thorough verification.

Liaison officers drawn from across the civil and police administration have been deployed to ensure foolproof arrangements for the meeting.

A 4-tier security ring managed by the NSG, marine commandos, special security group (SSG) of local police, paramilitary forces and the Army has been put in place that would work in total synergy to ensure the smooth conduct of G20 meeting that will start on May 22 and conclude on May 24.