Bakhshi Stadium

to prevent movement of the people during the VVIP visit, the officials said.

Drones and CCTV cameras are being used for surveillance while foot patrolling by the security forces has been intensified in a two kilometre radius around the venue.

Marine commandos have been deployed in river Jhelum and Dal Lake to prevent the use of these water bodies for any subversive activities, they said.

Several schools falling along the route to be taken by the prime minister have been closed for Wednesday and Thursday while board examinations scheduled to be held on Thursday have been postponed till next month.

PM Modi will be arriving at 12 noon tomorrow. He will land at the Srinagar international airport where he will board an army chopper to army’s 15 Corps headquarters where he will lay wreaths at the war memorial and pay tributes to fallen heroes. Sources said from the Badamibagh Cantonment, PM Modi will travel by road to the Bakshi Stadium where he will address a gathering of over one lakh people.

According to Srinagar police, Srinagar city has been declared as a ‘Temporary Red Zone’ for the operation of drones and quadcopters, as per provisions of Rule 24 (2) of Drone Rules, 2021 with immediate effect. “All unauthorized drone operations in the Red Zone are liable to be penalised as per relevant provisions of Drone Rules, 2021,” Srinagar police said and urged people to cooperate.

Sources said that vital road links from Jehangir Chowk to Solina, Zero Bridge to Lal Ded have been sealed and blocked at some points as part of security measures. As per BJP’s J&K Chief Ravinder Raina, Srinagar has been decorated with flags, hoardings, buntings and banners of PM Modi and “we are expecting a gathering of two lakh people at Bakshi Stadium.” BJP J&K spokesman Altaf Thakur said that the rally is going to be historic with huge participation of people. Almost 10,000 BJP flags and 1000 buntings and hoardings have been installed at the venue and other parts of city by BJP workers.