Srinagar, May 20: Over 500 houseboats and 150 Shikaras (small boats) have been adorned ahead of the G20 Summit to provide a mesmerising view to visiting delegates while also expressing the region’s unique cultural identity, officials said.
Manzoor Pakhtoon, President of the Dal Lake Houseboat Owners Association, said that they have adorned their houseboats in preparation for the G20 conference, which begins on Monday. He stated that all preparations have been done and that Dal Lake would be more attractive during upcoming days.
“Around 500 houses are prepared to be lit up during the G20 Summit days.It will enhance the beauty of the lake waters in the evening,” he stated.
Similarly, Shikara owners have been asked to illuminate their boats so that authorities can utilise them during the G20 Summit days at Dal Lake.
Shikara Owners President Wali Mohammad stated that tourism department authorities had instructed them to adorn 150 boats for the summit. We have finished all of the requirements, including use of tricolor lights, G20 banners and other things, he said.
“Shikara’s will be ready on Monday morning for the visitors till the end of the summit in Kashmir. It is honour for us to host guests coming from G20 nations and we are prepared for the mega event,” Wali said.
Similarly the LCMA (Lakes Conservation Management Authority) has completed the cleaning of Dal waters. “Dal lake is as clean as it used to be in 1990’s. They (LCMA) have not stopped the de weeding work this year,” said Malik Fayaz, a Shikara owner.
An employee at LCMA told Rising Kashmir that cleaning of Dal Lake is a continuous process and during the next three days (G20 Summit), the de weeding work will be stopped. After 25 May, the work will be again resumed, he said.
Meanwhile, the entire Srinagar is being decorated like a bride to welcome the distinguished guests. The renovation and repair of roads are being carried out at a fast pace, along with the installation of hoods and other construction works.
For the first time, work is also being done to decorate the bunkers from outside located from Srinagar International Airport to SKICC.
Earlier on Tuesday, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri told Rising Kashmir that ahead of the G20 summit, Hari Parbat Fort, Shankar Acharya Temple, Ghanta Ghar (Lal Chowk), Zero Bridge and other places in Srinagar will be illuminated. We have also directed officials to decorate and illuminate other heritage sites, monuments in other parts of Kashmir, he said.
The third G20 tourism working group meeting will take place from May 22 to 24 at the SKICC on the banks of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar, and is expected to have a positive impact on the tourism and trade sectors of the region.
The G20 summit is expected to promote Kashmir internationally and give a new dimension to the tourism sector of Kashmir. The tourism sector is the backbone of the economy and a record number of tourists are expected to visit Kashmir this year also.
