Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla Tuesday chaired security review meetings in Srinagar for the upcoming G20 tourism working group meeting to be held in Kashmir from May 22 to 25.
Sources said the meetings were held at SK International Convocation Complex, on the banks of Dal Lake, which is also the main venue for the G20 event.
“A detailed review of the security arrangements for the G20 event was taken during one of the meetings in which director Intelligence Bureau, J&K Home Secretary, J&K police chief and GoC 15-Corps were present,” they said and added the plan that includes foiling all possible threats, including vehicle-borne IEDs, fidayeen attacks, sticky bomb threat, drone attacks and grenade attacks were discussed and counter strategy framed and finalized.
Sources said deployment of Marine Commandos (MARCOS), a special forces unit of the Indian Navy, National Security Guards (NSGs) and anti-drone technology was also given a final touch.
“The Union Home Secretary directed that the venue should be guarded and sanitized 10-days ahead of the G20 summit and aerial surveillance through drones be made,” they said and added the meeting discussed that the army will keep a vigil on highways and other vital road links.
The Srinagar G20 meet will be the first major international event in Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019, when the erstwhile state was divided into two union territories - J&K and Ladakh - and its special status under Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked.
New Delhi’s decision to host a meeting of G20 countries in Srinagar has been slammed by Pakistan, which called it an “irresponsible move”. India took over the presidency of the G20, an economic cooperation bloc comprising 19 countries and the European Union, in December of last year. It is scheduled to host a leader’s summit in New Delhi this September.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks