Srinagar Archives | Page 35 of 36

When Batamaloo was reduced to ashes

September 1, 2015 Editor

OPERATION GIBRALTAR Azam Inqilabi, a former militant commander whose association with separatism dates back to 1965, described Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar as a “haphazard attempt”. Inqilabi, who has clandestinely travelled to Pakistan many times between the late part of the 1960s till the early 1990s, said Pakistan’s operation failed because the youth of Kashmir “were not groomed at all”.“I had a conversation with Major Kiyani (of the Pakistani army in 1969) and he taunted me (about the failure of Operation Gibraltar). He said we did not help. I objected to it…

Protests, clashes in Srinagar leave one injured

August 31, 2015 Editor

A hunt by police to nab those displaying controversial flags on Saturday sparked protests and clashes between mobs and security personnel in some parts of old Srinagar, leaving one youth injured in firing. Police carried out night raids in various parts of the old city to nab those who displayed controversial flags and indulged in stone-pelting at security forces yesterday after Friday prayers. To protest these night raids, a major part of downtown Srinagar from Khanyar to Hawal including Jamia Masjid observed a shutdown today. Clashes were also witnessed at…

Authorities sit on encroachment of roads, footpaths; City-centre areas worst affected

August 27, 2015 Editor

Failure of authorities to remove encroachment from roads and footpaths is taking a heavy toll on vehicular and pedestrian movement. The entire stretch of footpaths and roadsides at city centre areas including Regal Chowk, Ghanta Ghar, Amira Kadal, Hari Singh High Street, LD Crossing and Batamaloo has been encroached upon by street vendors and shopkeepers who place their goods there—hampering pedestrian and vehicular movement. At city centre Lal Chowk, street vendors have encroachment upon footpaths causing immense inconvenience to pedestrians. “Due to encroachment of footpaths near Biscoe School and Ghanta…

Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday resigns citing differences with PDP govt

August 26, 2015 Editor

He reportedly said that officers were being rotated like ‘shuttlecocks’ Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Iqbal Khanday resigned on Tuesday due to differences with the state government. As per a CNN-IBN report, Khanday is miffed about the arbitrary transfer of officials. He reportedly said that officers were being rotated like ‘shuttlecocks’. The report citing sources said that he was unhappy that juniors were being promoted ahead of seniors in administration.

Rains cause waterlogging in city areas

August 22, 2015 Editor

A heavy spell of rain in Srinagar on Friday evening caused waterlogging in several areas disrupting vehicular and pedestrian movement. Commuters had to face a tough time after heavy rains lashed the summer capital. Several areas including city-centre Lal Chowk, Residency Road, Jawahar Nagar, Batamaloo, Baba Demb, Khanyar and Hyderpora were water-logged. Due to water-logging, traffic came to a grinding halt on various routes of the city. Commuters accuse the authorities of failing to undertake cleaning of the drains in the city saying these have been choked during floods last…

Traffic jams bring city to standstill

August 18, 2015 Editor

Commuters faced a tough time on Monday as major routes of Srinagar witnessed massive traffic jams. Various routes of the summer capital including Rajbagh, TRC, Jehangir Chowk, Budshah Chowk Batamaloo and Tengpora witnessed traffic jams for several hours—causing inconvenience to commuters. Adding to the traffic mess, several vehicles coming out of civil secretariat passed through wrong side. In absence of proper traffic regulation, vehicular movement came to a grinding halt near Police Control Room junction. Several ambulances were also stranded in the traffic jams at Batamaloo around 6 pm. “This…

Kashmir’s maiden Cultural Centre to come up at Lal Mandi

August 18, 2015 Editor

Drabu visits Academy office, Tagore Hall; Reviews functioning, pace of work Minister for Finance, Labour Employment and Culture Dr Haseeb A Drabu has said that the Government intends to set up a an integrated Kashmir Cultural Centre on the pattern of India International Centre, Delhi so that a platform can be created for the local thinkers, writers and artists for exchange of ideas. The Minister was interacting with the officers during his visit to the Central Office of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages to review…

Badamwari Musical Evening

August 17, 2015 Editor

Artists mesmerise audience with Dolwal’s poetry Popular artistes mesmerised audience at Badamwari on Sunday through their renderings of the poetry of noted Kashmiri poet, Ghulam Nabi Dolwal. Popular Kashmiri singers including Raashid Jehangir and Firdous Ahmad showed their skills in singing the verses of the popular versifier. The J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL) in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Bank arranged the show to provide quality entertainment to the fun lovers of Srinagar. Ghulam Nabi Dolwal’s poetry involved the audience to participate in soul soothing vocals that…

Srinagarities face inconvenience ahead of August 15

August 14, 2015 Editor

People – mostly inhabitants in downtown area in summer capital Srinagar said that they were facing inconvenience due to the “high security” arrangements put across ahead of August 15 celebrations. Locals said they were irked by “unnecessary” accosting by the police and paramilitary forces. We received scores of complaints from last few days about “unnecessary accosting” by the police, who even “don’t leave small children and women for frisking”. Wednesday evening was a very tough time for the residents living around Bakhshi Stadium and Amar Singh College when the people returning…

Kashmiri children paint their reality on the banks of Dal Lake

August 14, 2015 Editor

“I don’t paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality”– spoke famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. Decades later, little children and the youth of Kashmir gathered on the banks of famous Dal lake here and did just that—paint their reality–from the devastating flood, to their yearning for peace, to the verdant surroundings. This was a unique competition organised by the Kashmir-based 15 Corps of the Army where the talent of the children and youth was brought on canvas recently on the lawns of Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre. “If paintings…