MiG-29 fighter jets deployed at Srinagar In order to tackle Pakistani and Chinese threats, India has deployed a squadron of upgraded MiG-29 fighter jets at the important Srinagar air base in Jammu and Kashmir. The Tridents squadron, which is known as the ‘Defender of the North’, has replaced the MiG-21 squadron with the upgraded MiG-29s at the Srinagar air base. The Srinagar air base has been responsible for taking care of the threat perception from Pakistan. After the surgical strike on the Jaish training camp in Balakote in February 2019, the airbase was put on high alert. The MiG-29s, would be the first to respond to any airspace violation attempts by Pakistan.
Iconic Clock Tower gets major facelift The historic and iconic Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar) in the city centre Lal Chowk witnessed a major makeover under the Srinagar Smart City Project. The refurbished Clock Tower, which is named after Moscow’s iconic Red Square, will add to the city’s charm and attract tourists to the city centre. It is a hub of commercial activity. The revamped Clock Tower was inaugurated by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha a day before Independence Day. It was illuminated in the colours of the national flag. The idea behind the tower is to turn Lal Chowk into a tourist hub like the Dal Lake.
Srinagar conference centre’s name modified Four years after the abrogation of Article 370, the Lt Governor administration, hinting at the name change has formally dropped the title ‘Sher’ (lion), a reference to late National Conference (NC) founder and former J&K Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, from the name of Sheri Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) located on the banks of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. In an official statement on August 13 when Lt Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off Tiranga Yatra in Srinagar, the name of SKICC was thrice called KICC. It indicates a change in the name of the international conference centre, where government functions are held
Fayaz Wani Our correspondent in Jammu and Kashmir [email protected]
