Crowds throng Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium ahead of PM Modi’s rally

Srinagar: Wearing Modi masks and chanting his name, scores of people from across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday reached Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium here to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally.

In his first visit to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, Modi will unveil multiple development projects worth more than Rs 6,400 crore, address a public meeting, and participate in the ‘Viksit Bharat, Viksit Jammu Kashmir’ programme at the stadium.

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Hundreds of BJP supporters, wearing tricoloured turbans, also reached the venue while security personnel had a tough time managing the crowd.

Officials said tight security arrangements were in place but there were no restrictions on the movement of people.

Life was normal across the Kashmir valley and most of the shops and other business establishments were open here, the officials said.

They said there were no restrictions on the movement of the people in any part of the valley, except for traffic diversions around the venue of the PM’s rally.

“People are being allowed to move and there are no restrictions anywhere in Kashmir. The Traffic Police has announced some diversions for traffic around the venue, but other than that, there are no restrictions on the movement of the people,” they added.

Traffic movement on the city’s Jehangir Chowk to Rambagh and Rajbagh to LD Hospital-Tulsi Bagh route has been restricted from 4 am to 7 pm given the VVIP visit, the officials said.