Srinagar, May 21: As Srinagar gears up for the G20 summit, beginning from Monday, the visiting delegates are all set to have a comprehensive schedule that includes their participation in several cultural and traditional events apart from the meeting sessions to be held at SKICC.
Day one
The delegates will be received by Union Tourism Minister G. Kishen Reddy , LG Manoj Sinha and other dignitaries at Srinagar International Airport.
They will be welcomed with souvenirs, live music (inside the terminal) and traditional dance (outside laws). All guests will be taken to hotel Lalit and Taj, where they will be allocated rooms and after that they will leave for the SKICC.
Later at SKICC, the locals will display Kashmiri handicrafts, including papier mâché, wood carving, carpets and shawls, at 11 stalls.
In the evening, the delegates will enjoy live art and craft, shopping kiosks, shikara rides, and cultural shows.
Day two
The delegates will hold multiple sessions at SKICC. During the day, the delegates will be taken among a few locations including Nishat Garden, Cheshma Shahi, Pari Mahal, Kashmir Arts Emporium, Polo View Market and later dinner. A cultural program will be held at Hotel Lalit.
During the cultural shows, a replica of the Martand Temple and a shikara (boat) will provide a backdrop to the cultural and musical shows.
Day 3
The delegates will attend sessions at SKICC. Cultural Programs will be performed by local artisans and their stay will be at hotel Taj.
“Most of the delegates will leave Kashmir on May 24 evening and some will leave early morning on May 25,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ski resort Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Dachigam National Park, Srinagar have been dropped from the itinerary list of G20 delegates touring Kashmir to attend the Working Group Meeting from May 22-May 24, officials said.
A senior administrative officer told Rising Kashmir that these vital changes were made at the last moment.
“There were some inputs from security agencies and we accordingly made some changes. Now those sites have been included which will be feasible and easily accessible within a range of eight kilometres of the site,” he said.
The official said they will showcase Polo View market to delegates, which has been renovated recently, under the ongoing ₹980-crore Srinagar Smart City project.
The 3rd 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.
