Srinagar city has made it to the list of creative city networks of the&nbsp;United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). &nbsp;Srinagar made it to the&nbsp;list of 49 cities across the world.

The 49 cities have been added to the network of 246 cities following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in recognition of "their commitment to placing culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices".

"Delighted that beautiful Srinagar joins the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) with a special mention for its craft and folk art. It is a fitting recognition for the vibrant cultural ethos of Srinagar.&nbsp;Congratulations&nbsp;to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,'' tweeted PM Narendra Modi.

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Delighted that beautiful Srinagar joins the <a href="https://twitter.com/UNESCO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNESCO</a> Creative Cities Network (UCCN) with a special mention for its craft and folk art. It is a fitting recognition for the vibrant cultural ethos of Srinagar. Congratulations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
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This listing will help the local art and craft to make it on the global platforms.

''Great News for Srinagar. Srinagar has been inscribed as a UNESCO&nbsp;creative city of art and craft. the only city from India to make it to the list,'' said Junaid Mattoo, Mayor Srinagar.

There were two cities competing for the position this year and only Srinagar has made it.

''The cultural heritage and current creative assets of the city will be the pillars to build a consistent action plan, which contributes to the sustainable urban development of the city in line with the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development,'' said Saleem Beg, convenor INTACH Kashmir Chapter.

Mumbai and Hyderabad had made it to the list in 2019.

Srinagar city has made it to the list of creative city networks of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Srinagar made it to the list of 49 cities across the world.

Srinagar city has made it to the list of creative city networks of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Srinagar made it to the list of 49 cities across the world. The 49 cities have been added to the network of 246 cities following their designation by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, in recognition of "their commitment to placing culture and creativity at the heart of their development and to sharing knowledge and good practices". "Delighted that beautiful Srinagar joins the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) with a special mention for its craft and folk art. It is a fitting recognition for the vibrant cultural ethos of Srinagar. Congratulations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,'' tweeted PM Narendra Modi. Delighted that beautiful Srinagar joins the @UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) with a special mention for its craft and folk art. It is a fitting recognition for the vibrant cultural ethos of Srinagar. Congratulations to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 8, 2021 × This listing will help the local art and craft to make it on the global platforms. ''Great News for Srinagar. Srinagar has been inscribed as a UNESCO creative city of art and craft. the only city from India to make it to the list,'' said Junaid Mattoo, Mayor Srinagar. There were two cities competing for the position this year and only Srinagar has made it. ''The cultural heritage and current creative assets of the city will be the pillars to build a consistent action plan, which contributes to the sustainable urban development of the city in line with the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development,'' said Saleem Beg, convenor INTACH Kashmir Chapter. Mumbai and Hyderabad had made it to the list in 2019.

Srinagar listed in UNESCO’s creative city list, PM Modi congratulates people of J&K

29-year-old Jammu and Kashmir policeman was shot dead by gunmen outside his residence in Srinagar. The victim has been identified as Tawseef Ahmed Wani. The area has been cordoned off, and a hunt has been launched to catch the attackers.

J&K: Policeman shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar, authorities beef up security

Tour operators are apprehensive about future of only international air-route from Srinagar after Pakistan denied airspace for planes travelling to Sharjah. The recently inaugurated Srinagar-Sharjah air-route has hit a roadblock. There are fears that flights will not take-off.

In 2009-10, Srinagar-Dubai flight was also stopped for the same reason as Pakistan denied airspace. This led to high fares. The flight was suspended later.

Jammu Kashmir's former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted and said,"Very Unfortunate. Pakistan did the same thing with the Air India Express flight from Srinagar to Dubai in 2009-2010. I had hoped that GoFirstAirways being permitted to overfly Pak Airspace was indicative of a thaw in relations but alas that wasn't to be".&nbsp;

The Tour operators in Kashmir valley say that the fares have gone up by 200 percent, after the Inaugural price of Rs 5500.&nbsp;

Now the rates are Rs 35,000 for a one-way ticket.

"It was a great initiative that we had a direct flight to the middle east. It was a great relief and connected to the world. But unfortunately this act which is leading to the stoppage of this flight will again create a problem. People will have to take the longer routes. It will impact the locals. This would have given a boost to tourism. I have been selling it since day 1. It started from 5 thousand then 11 thousand and then 15 and now I am getting a one way fare for 32 thousand. Why would anyone take this flight if the fares are so high? Civil Aviation Ministry should have done the homework as in the recent past a srinagar dubai flight met the same fate,"said Umar Nazir , director of Labaika Travel.

The Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba mufti also tweeted criticising the government of India for not doing the groundwork before starting the flight. She tweeted and said,"Puzzling that GOI didn’t even bother securing permission from Pakistan to use its airspace for international flights from Srinagar. Only PR extravaganza without any groundwork''&nbsp;

However, BJP has hit out strongly at Pakistan saying the real face of Pakistan has come out yet again. Pakistan does not want to see Jammu Kashmir develop.&nbsp;

"Government of India started this flight from Srinagar to Sharjah for the trade of Kashmir. To benefit the Kashmiris so that they directly send their products to the international market. Pakistan has shown its real face again. Pakistan wants dead bodies of Kashmiris and terror. Pakistan has nothing to do with the development of Kashmiris. This is an eye opener for those who support and celebrate the win of a cricket match, said Altaf Thakur, BJP Spokesperson.

The Home Minister of India Amit Shah had inaugurated the first direct international flight between Srinagar- Sharjah on October 23rd.&nbsp;

Tour operators are apprehensive about future of only international air-route from Srinagar after Pakistan denied airspace for planes travelling to Sharjah. The recently inaugurated Srinagar-Sharjah air-route has hit a roadblock.

Tour operators are apprehensive about future of only international air-route from Srinagar after Pakistan denied airspace for planes travelling to Sharjah. The recently inaugurated Srinagar-Sharjah air-route has hit a roadblock. There are fears that flights will not take-off. In 2009-10, Srinagar-Dubai flight was also stopped for the same reason as Pakistan denied airspace. This led to high fares. The flight was suspended later. Jammu Kashmir's former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted and said,"Very Unfortunate. Pakistan did the same thing with the Air India Express flight from Srinagar to Dubai in 2009-2010. I had hoped that GoFirstAirways being permitted to overfly Pak Airspace was indicative of a thaw in relations but alas that wasn't to be". The Tour operators in Kashmir valley say that the fares have gone up by 200 percent, after the Inaugural price of Rs 5500. Now the rates are Rs 35,000 for a one-way ticket. "It was a great initiative that we had a direct flight to the middle east. It was a great relief and connected to the world. But unfortunately this act which is leading to the stoppage of this flight will again create a problem. People will have to take the longer routes. It will impact the locals. This would have given a boost to tourism. I have been selling it since day 1. It started from 5 thousand then 11 thousand and then 15 and now I am getting a one way fare for 32 thousand. Why would anyone take this flight if the fares are so high? Civil Aviation Ministry should have done the homework as in the recent past a srinagar dubai flight met the same fate,"said Umar Nazir , director of Labaika Travel. The Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba mufti also tweeted criticising the government of India for not doing the groundwork before starting the flight. She tweeted and said,"Puzzling that GOI didn’t even bother securing permission from Pakistan to use its airspace for international flights from Srinagar. Only PR extravaganza without any groundwork'' However, BJP has hit out strongly at Pakistan saying the real face of Pakistan has come out yet again. Pakistan does not want to see Jammu Kashmir develop. "Government of India started this flight from Srinagar to Sharjah for the trade of Kashmir. To benefit the Kashmiris so that they directly send their products to the international market. Pakistan has shown its real face again. Pakistan wants dead bodies of Kashmiris and terror. Pakistan has nothing to do with the development of Kashmiris. This is an eye opener for those who support and celebrate the win of a cricket match, said Altaf Thakur, BJP Spokesperson. The Home Minister of India Amit Shah had inaugurated the first direct international flight between Srinagar- Sharjah on October 23rd.

Srinagar-Sharjah air-route in jeopardy after Pakistan's denial of airspace

After the recent killings of civilians in Kashmir Valley, the majority community has come&nbsp;forward to support the minority communities. Special announcements are being made from the mosques to assure the minority community that they stand with them.&nbsp;

The grand mufti of Jammu and Kashmir visited the families and also assured them on behalf of the majority community that they should feel safe and nothing will hamper the social fabric of Kashmir valley. The grand mufti also demanded quick investigation in these cases, so that the culprits are put behind the bars and the real motive is unearthed.&nbsp;

''I went to see the families, I gave them assurance that I represent 1.5 crore Muslims of Jammu Kashmir and we want them to stay here and feel safe. I think a full investigation should be done in these cases. The culprits need to be arrested and we would know the motive of these killings. Islam doesnt allow killing of anyone,'' said Mufti Nasir Ul Islam, Grand Mufti.&nbsp;

The minority community has appreciated the efforts that are made by the majority community. Around 10 mosques in the Srinagar city have made announcements after the prayers assuring the minority community to feel safe. The minority community now wants them to make these announcements after the Friday prayers as well. The Kashmir Pandit Sajay Tickoo said that this time no migration has taken place and whoever has left will be coming back soon.&nbsp;

"It's a welcome statement and I have made an appeal to all masjid committees too.&nbsp;It should be announced in every mosque in the valley so that it will reach the larger masses. So far, nine mosques in the city have announced these assurances to minorities in the vicinity. It has opened the space for the minorities to be less afraid. It's a good step. My appeal is to the grand mufti that on Friday, they must announce in mosques through loudspeakers to make minorities feel safe. It will ease our tension. After these announcements were made, I feel better and safer.'' said Sanjay Tickoo, Kashmir Pandit Leader.&nbsp;

The Sikh community in the valley has also thanked the majority community for the help and assurances.

"Majority community came forward at the time of Chittisinghpura. We have strong brotherhood with the majority community but people across the border don't want that. Muslims have been coming to Supinder Kaur's house since. The locals here are not communal at all. We will all fight it together. I got a number of calls from the majority community and I got a call from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as well as Mufti Nasir and the Chamber of commerce," said Jagmohan Raina,Sikh Leader, APNI Party.&nbsp;

The efforts are on by all communities living in Kashmir valley to save the Kashmiriyat. The Kashmiris don't want a repeat of the 90's and are making sure this time that the social fabric of the valley is not affected.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

After the recent killings of civilians in Kashmir Valley, the majority community has come forward to support the minority communities. Special announcements are being made from the mosques to assure the minority community that they stand with them.

After the recent killings of civilians in Kashmir Valley, the majority community has come forward to support the minority communities. Special announcements are being made from the mosques to assure the minority community that they stand with them. The grand mufti of Jammu and Kashmir visited the families and also assured them on behalf of the majority community that they should feel safe and nothing will hamper the social fabric of Kashmir valley. The grand mufti also demanded quick investigation in these cases, so that the culprits are put behind the bars and the real motive is unearthed. ''I went to see the families, I gave them assurance that I represent 1.5 crore Muslims of Jammu Kashmir and we want them to stay here and feel safe. I think a full investigation should be done in these cases. The culprits need to be arrested and we would know the motive of these killings. Islam doesnt allow killing of anyone,'' said Mufti Nasir Ul Islam, Grand Mufti. The minority community has appreciated the efforts that are made by the majority community. Around 10 mosques in the Srinagar city have made announcements after the prayers assuring the minority community to feel safe. The minority community now wants them to make these announcements after the Friday prayers as well. The Kashmir Pandit Sajay Tickoo said that this time no migration has taken place and whoever has left will be coming back soon. "It's a welcome statement and I have made an appeal to all masjid committees too. It should be announced in every mosque in the valley so that it will reach the larger masses. So far, nine mosques in the city have announced these assurances to minorities in the vicinity. It has opened the space for the minorities to be less afraid. It's a good step. My appeal is to the grand mufti that on Friday, they must announce in mosques through loudspeakers to make minorities feel safe. It will ease our tension. After these announcements were made, I feel better and safer.'' said Sanjay Tickoo, Kashmir Pandit Leader. The Sikh community in the valley has also thanked the majority community for the help and assurances. "Majority community came forward at the time of Chittisinghpura. We have strong brotherhood with the majority community but people across the border don't want that. Muslims have been coming to Supinder Kaur's house since. The locals here are not communal at all. We will all fight it together. I got a number of calls from the majority community and I got a call from Mirwaiz Umar Farooq as well as Mufti Nasir and the Chamber of commerce," said Jagmohan Raina,Sikh Leader, APNI Party. The efforts are on by all communities living in Kashmir valley to save the Kashmiriyat. The Kashmiris don't want a repeat of the 90's and are making sure this time that the social fabric of the valley is not affected.

Locals come forward in support of minority communities to save Kashmiriyat

Two civilians were shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar. The incident happened just days after the killing of 3 people raising fears of terror resurgence in the valley.

Jammu & Kashmir: Two civilians shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar

Two Government school teachers, including a woman, were shot dead by militants in Srinagar. This comes days after three people, were killed in a series of attacks by suspected militants in Jammu & Kashmir.

Jammu & Kashmir: Two teachers shot dead inside a Srinagar school

West Pakistan refugees Thursday danced to the beats of dholak to celebrate the second anniversary of the abrogation of articles 370 and 35-A which resulted in them gaining citizenship rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

Led by Pakistan Refugees Action Committee president Laba Ram Gandhi, the men, women and children from the community converged in the border area and danced amid slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai.

"We are celebrating it as our Independence Day by unfurling the Tricolour because real independence in Jammu and Kashmir came to us on August 5, 2019," Ram Gandhi told reporters here, referring to the day the Centre announced the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A and its decision to divide the erstwhile state into two union territories.

Watch | Second anniversary of revocation of Article 370 in Jammu &amp; Kashmir

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The refugees, who now enjoy the rights of a bonafide citizen, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"We were living as unwanted citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. We had no rights, from voting to getting jobs. Now we are proud citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. Now our children will get all the rights," Ram Gandhi said.

Till August 5, 2019, the refugees were barred from voting in all elections except for parliamentary polls.

The refugees, who migrated from parts of West Punjab and Gujarat that are now in Pakistan, were also barred from government jobs, scholarships and admission in colleges, welfare schemes, and the right to own land.

The youths from the community are mostly illiterate and earn their livelihoods by working as labourers in agriculture fields in border belts of R S Pura, Samba, Hiranagar and Jammu, while the elderly work as domestic help.

After the scrapping of Article 370 on this day in 2019, West Pakistan refugees gained citizenship rights and can not only vote in local elections but also contest polls and enjoy all benefits as a citizen.

Like them, Valmikis also celebrated the day with joy and happiness.

They converged on the Valmiki temple complex and celebrated by raising pro-India slogans and thanked the prime minister for the decision.

Radical Gill, a Valmiki Samaj activist, said the abrogation of Article 370 came as a new lease of life to them. "We have got justice after many decades of the fight. We thank PM for this big decision. We can now become who we want to."

Another youth, Anadi Bhatti, said now he can become an advocate as article 370 is gone forever. "My dream will be fulfilled," he said.

West Pakistan refugees Thursday danced to the beats of dholak to celebrate the second anniversary of the abrogation of articles 370 and 35-A which resulted in them gaining citizenship rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

West Pakistan refugees Thursday danced to the beats of dholak to celebrate the second anniversary of the abrogation of articles 370 and 35-A which resulted in them gaining citizenship rights in Jammu and Kashmir. Led by Pakistan Refugees Action Committee president Laba Ram Gandhi, the men, women and children from the community converged in the border area and danced amid slogans of Bharat Mata Ki Jai. "We are celebrating it as our Independence Day by unfurling the Tricolour because real independence in Jammu and Kashmir came to us on August 5, 2019," Ram Gandhi told reporters here, referring to the day the Centre announced the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A and its decision to divide the erstwhile state into two union territories. Watch | Second anniversary of revocation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir The refugees, who now enjoy the rights of a bonafide citizen, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "We were living as unwanted citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. We had no rights, from voting to getting jobs. Now we are proud citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. Now our children will get all the rights," Ram Gandhi said. Till August 5, 2019, the refugees were barred from voting in all elections except for parliamentary polls. The refugees, who migrated from parts of West Punjab and Gujarat that are now in Pakistan, were also barred from government jobs, scholarships and admission in colleges, welfare schemes, and the right to own land. The youths from the community are mostly illiterate and earn their livelihoods by working as labourers in agriculture fields in border belts of R S Pura, Samba, Hiranagar and Jammu, while the elderly work as domestic help. After the scrapping of Article 370 on this day in 2019, West Pakistan refugees gained citizenship rights and can not only vote in local elections but also contest polls and enjoy all benefits as a citizen. Like them, Valmikis also celebrated the day with joy and happiness. They converged on the Valmiki temple complex and celebrated by raising pro-India slogans and thanked the prime minister for the decision. Radical Gill, a Valmiki Samaj activist, said the abrogation of Article 370 came as a new lease of life to them. "We have got justice after many decades of the fight. We thank PM for this big decision. We can now become who we want to." Another youth, Anadi Bhatti, said now he can become an advocate as article 370 is gone forever. "My dream will be fulfilled," he said.

With beats of dholak, West Pakistan refugees celebrate the 2nd anniversary of Article 370 abrogation

An award-winning 'paper mache' artist in Srinagar, Maqbool Jan has been making a masterpiece.

He is making a map of Srinagar city on a cloth by using 'paper mache' techniques. He wants to see the&nbsp;masterpiece displayed in the Indian Parliament.&nbsp;

''My actual wish is that this should be put up in Parliament. Or if they can put it in the Kashmir assembly or a big art gallery. The new generation should see our culture through our art. I would be extremely happy if it was put up in Parliament. It would give a boost to artisans of Kashmir Valley. They would make better things in the future,&nbsp;'' said artist Maqbool Jan.

Maqbool has been working on the&nbsp;map for over&nbsp;a year and says it will take a few more months to complete. The inspiration for the&nbsp;map has come from a shawl which&nbsp;is displayed&nbsp;at the Srinagar museum. The map on the&nbsp;shawl is drawn by Sozni work. He wants to recreate the same with 'paper mache'.&nbsp;

''I got the idea from a shawl in the museum and wanted to bring that art alive again. I wanted to show how Dal Lake used to be, how old Srinagar looked like and that's the reason I created this. The new generation should take up this art. It took me a year to make this and it will take me a month more to complete this. I thought about the colour scheme first and how water colours used to be. How our shrines and mosques and gardens used to look,&nbsp;'' said Maqbool Jan.

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There is no school where the art of paper machie is taught to the youngsters of Kashmir Valley. The artists have been demanding that a degree course should be introduced by the institutions of Kashmir Valley to uplift the&nbsp;art form.&nbsp;

''Our children are extremely talented but we don't have any local designers. We have to get designers from outside, so we want the government to start courses so that students can learn here. Our children want to have a degree before starting&nbsp;work, they don't want to leave education and then pick this up. We want the government to introduce a degree course. They say artists are not respected here,'' said Maqbool.&nbsp;

The centuries-old art is being revived by artists&nbsp;like Maqbool Jan. He is making sure that this art form survives in tough times and emerges again in the Kashmir Valley.

Maqbool has won four&nbsp;national and one international award for his contributions towards this art.

An award-winning 'paper mache' artist in Srinagar, Maqbool Jan has been making a masterpiece. He is making a map of Srinagar city on a cloth by using 'paper mache' techniques.

An award-winning 'paper mache' artist in Srinagar, Maqbool Jan has been making a masterpiece. He is making a map of Srinagar city on a cloth by using 'paper mache' techniques. He wants to see the masterpiece displayed in the Indian Parliament. ''My actual wish is that this should be put up in Parliament. Or if they can put it in the Kashmir assembly or a big art gallery. The new generation should see our culture through our art. I would be extremely happy if it was put up in Parliament. It would give a boost to artisans of Kashmir Valley. They would make better things in the future, '' said artist Maqbool Jan. Maqbool has been working on the map for over a year and says it will take a few more months to complete. The inspiration for the map has come from a shawl which is displayed at the Srinagar museum. The map on the shawl is drawn by Sozni work. He wants to recreate the same with 'paper mache'. ''I got the idea from a shawl in the museum and wanted to bring that art alive again. I wanted to show how Dal Lake used to be, how old Srinagar looked like and that's the reason I created this. The new generation should take up this art. It took me a year to make this and it will take me a month more to complete this. I thought about the colour scheme first and how water colours used to be. How our shrines and mosques and gardens used to look, '' said Maqbool Jan. There is no school where the art of paper machie is taught to the youngsters of Kashmir Valley. The artists have been demanding that a degree course should be introduced by the institutions of Kashmir Valley to uplift the art form. ''Our children are extremely talented but we don't have any local designers. We have to get designers from outside, so we want the government to start courses so that students can learn here. Our children want to have a degree before starting work, they don't want to leave education and then pick this up. We want the government to introduce a degree course. They say artists are not respected here,'' said Maqbool. The centuries-old art is being revived by artists like Maqbool Jan. He is making sure that this art form survives in tough times and emerges again in the Kashmir Valley. Maqbool has won four national and one international award for his contributions towards this art.

Award-winning paper mache artist makes Srinagar map masterpiece

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive river transport in the Kashmir Valley. Three bus boats have been brought from New Zealand to ply on river Jhelum in Srinagar. This is after decades that a river transport facility would be thrown open for tourists and the public as well.

People can take this boat ride from the Lasjan area of Srinagar to the interior of downtown. The Lieutenent Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir has pushed for this initiative with the tourism department. They say that it will be the cheapest mode of transport.

"This is the revival of water transport in Srinagar, It will start from next month, we have procured all the equipment. I think it can be the optimal utilisation of water resources and it will be the means of transport in future. It will be way cheaper than road transport. In the world it's cheapest mode of transport. We have a fleet of three boats and in future they will procure more. All the decks are ready," said Imran Malik, Director, Private company.

Each boat has 35 seats with air conditioning. And the whole cover is made of glass. It will make the passengers enjoy the view of Srinagar city and make it a memorable ride. The tourism department will promote it so that more and more people take this mode of transport while travelling in the city.&nbsp;

"This is the first kind of this boat, which the people of Kashmir will be seeing, this is a bus boat which we have imported from New Zealand and it has a capacity of 35 passengers including 5 crew members. The plan is that it will ply from Batawara to Veer Chattabal. This will have 6 stops and we are doing trial runs and we will hand over it to JK Tourism. It's a type of tourist attraction, it will be available to tourists and locals. It's an add-on to the road transport, the roads are congested and if we get 5-6 of these in future this will help take the pressure off from road transport." said Abdul Hanan, Manager.

The engineers of the boat have come from Mumbai and will be training the locals in case there are any technical issues with the bus boat.&nbsp;

"I am training local engineers so that if there is an issue they can handle it. I am also telling them how to run this boat. If there is any issue ever then we can even take care of the problem remotely," said Bharat Gupta, Engineer.

As the roads are congested with traffic, the river transport will help in taking the pressure off from the roads in Srinagar city.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive river transport in the Kashmir Valley. Three bus boats have been brought from New Zealand to ply on river Jhelum in Srinagar.

The Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to revive river transport in the Kashmir Valley. Three bus boats have been brought from New Zealand to ply on river Jhelum in Srinagar. This is after decades that a river transport facility would be thrown open for tourists and the public as well. People can take this boat ride from the Lasjan area of Srinagar to the interior of downtown. The Lieutenent Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir has pushed for this initiative with the tourism department. They say that it will be the cheapest mode of transport. "This is the revival of water transport in Srinagar, It will start from next month, we have procured all the equipment. I think it can be the optimal utilisation of water resources and it will be the means of transport in future. It will be way cheaper than road transport. In the world it's cheapest mode of transport. We have a fleet of three boats and in future they will procure more. All the decks are ready," said Imran Malik, Director, Private company. Each boat has 35 seats with air conditioning. And the whole cover is made of glass. It will make the passengers enjoy the view of Srinagar city and make it a memorable ride. The tourism department will promote it so that more and more people take this mode of transport while travelling in the city. "This is the first kind of this boat, which the people of Kashmir will be seeing, this is a bus boat which we have imported from New Zealand and it has a capacity of 35 passengers including 5 crew members. The plan is that it will ply from Batawara to Veer Chattabal. This will have 6 stops and we are doing trial runs and we will hand over it to JK Tourism. It's a type of tourist attraction, it will be available to tourists and locals. It's an add-on to the road transport, the roads are congested and if we get 5-6 of these in future this will help take the pressure off from road transport." said Abdul Hanan, Manager. The engineers of the boat have come from Mumbai and will be training the locals in case there are any technical issues with the bus boat. "I am training local engineers so that if there is an issue they can handle it. I am also telling them how to run this boat. If there is any issue ever then we can even take care of the problem remotely," said Bharat Gupta, Engineer. As the roads are congested with traffic, the river transport will help in taking the pressure off from the roads in Srinagar city.

Revival of water transport in Kashmir, bus boats bought from New Zealand

A week after two drone attacks on India's Air Force base in Jammu, the Srinagar district administration officially banned the use and possession of drones and other similar aerial vehicles.

Week after Jammu attack, Srinagar bans use, possession & sale of drones

Srinagar's downtown area has always been in news for wrong reasons. However, it has something positive to showcase now. To revive the legacy of football in the old city of Srinagar, a group of people have come forward and made a football club called "Downtown Heroes FC"

The old city of Srinagar was known for producing top-class footballers who even went on to represent Jammu &amp; Kashmir at the national and International level. And the downtown area was known as the hub of football in Kashmir but in recent years it has lost its touch with the most followed sport in Kashmir.&nbsp;

The club is specially made for the youngsters of the downtown area of Srinagar.&nbsp;

"We want football to be popular in the old city again. We have developed a robust framework to produce not only star footballers but star individuals. This academy would be open for all old city players. It's also a great way channeling the energy of youth and keeping them away from social evils like drugs (case of) which have unfortunately grown rapidly in Srinagar," said club’s chairman, Irfan Shahmiri.&nbsp;

Downtown Heroes FC was started with an aim to revive the lost glory of football in the old city. It was launched in 2019 and the club has already made a name for itself. In its inaugural season, It went to play in the Premier League, Real Kashmir Cup and also went on to win Doon Knockout football tournament title. It has received a lot of applause from the people in the valley.&nbsp;

"Today the club has launched two new teams for Under-16 and Under-12. The main motive behind this club is for holistic development of young people. We have received great response from people and we want it to continue," said Mushtaq Bashir, founder of the club&nbsp;

Now, the club is hoping to collaborate with government sports councils.

Srinagar's downtown area has always been in news for wrong reasons. However, it has something positive to showcase now. To revive the legacy of football in the old city of Srinagar, a group of people have come forward and made a football club called "Downtown Heroes FC" The old city of Srinagar was known for producing top-class footballers who even went on to represent Jammu & Kashmir at the national and International level.

Srinagar's downtown area has always been in news for wrong reasons. However, it has something positive to showcase now. To revive the legacy of football in the old city of Srinagar, a group of people have come forward and made a football club called "Downtown Heroes FC" The old city of Srinagar was known for producing top-class footballers who even went on to represent Jammu & Kashmir at the national and International level. And the downtown area was known as the hub of football in Kashmir but in recent years it has lost its touch with the most followed sport in Kashmir. The club is specially made for the youngsters of the downtown area of Srinagar. "We want football to be popular in the old city again. We have developed a robust framework to produce not only star footballers but star individuals. This academy would be open for all old city players. It's also a great way channeling the energy of youth and keeping them away from social evils like drugs (case of) which have unfortunately grown rapidly in Srinagar," said club’s chairman, Irfan Shahmiri. Downtown Heroes FC was started with an aim to revive the lost glory of football in the old city. It was launched in 2019 and the club has already made a name for itself. In its inaugural season, It went to play in the Premier League, Real Kashmir Cup and also went on to win Doon Knockout football tournament title. It has received a lot of applause from the people in the valley. "Today the club has launched two new teams for Under-16 and Under-12. The main motive behind this club is for holistic development of young people. We have received great response from people and we want it to continue," said Mushtaq Bashir, founder of the club Now, the club is hoping to collaborate with government sports councils.

Downtown Srinagar is now buzzing with footballers

The Jammu and Kashmir administration canceled the allotment of residential accommodation to its 'darbar move' employees in Jammu and Srinagar, asking them to vacate the same within three weeks.

J&K govt cancels accommodation for ‘darbar move’ employees

Floating gardens, islands, and houseboats are all things we've heard of, but Kashmir's famous Dal Lake has a floating post office. It's the only floating post office in the whole world.

A Floating post-office at Srinagar's famous Dal Lake

Floating gardens, islands, and houseboats are all things we've heard of, but Kashmir's famous Dal Lake has a floating post office. It's the only floating post office in the whole world.&nbsp;

This two-centuries-old floating post office was started in the British era and continues to deliver letters and couriers to the people living on the lake. The delivery of the post is done by a postman while travelling in a shikara.

All the services of the post office are available at this floating post office on Dal Lake while being afloat. They use a special seal of a shikara along with a boatman to put it on the envelope.&nbsp;

"This is a 200-year-old post office that served from before the Maharaja's reign to the British era. It was finally called a floating post office. There is no change in the number of posts sent around. We don't have time to talk when there is a tourist influx. Thousands of people visit this post office to take pictures. They can buy special covers, postcards and stamps from here. The letter is delivered to the houseboat by the postman, who hires a Shikara. This has been going on for years and is still going on," according to Farooq Ahmad, the Post Master.

 
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Mohd Ismail worked as a postman for India Post for many years. He has been delivering letters every day to people living on the lake. It is time-consuming to take a shikara and go to different houseboats, but the charm of doing so is what he likes the most.&nbsp;

"I have been delivering letters in Dal Lake for ten years. It's so good for my health to breathe fresh air on the lake. I deliver around 100-150 letters a day. There is also a CRPF camp within the lake, which receives a lot of letters that I deliver. It takes me hours to deliver these letters. "I start at 11 am and finish at 5:30 pm," Mohd Ismail explained.

Locals who live on or near the lake claim that the internet and social media have had a significant impact on letter writing and sending.But some people miss it as it used to be emotional to receive or send a letter in earlier times.&nbsp;

"This post office has been there for a long time. It is so easy for houseboat owners to receive and send letters. People have shifted to email and social networks for now and the art of letter writing has gone down. It was a wonderful feeling to receive or send a letter, and it was even more wonderful to open a letter and read it.I miss it all, said Noor Mohammad, the owner of a houseboat. 
 
The floating post office has a collection of old stamps and used to have a small museum in one of the rooms, which was damaged in the 2014 floods.

Floating gardens, islands, and houseboats are all things we've heard of, but Kashmir's famous Dal Lake has a floating post office. It's the only floating post office in the whole world. This two-centuries-old floating post office was started in the British era and continues to deliver letters and couriers to the people living on the lake. The delivery of the post is done by a postman while travelling in a shikara. All the services of the post office are available at this floating post office on Dal Lake while being afloat. They use a special seal of a shikara along with a boatman to put it on the envelope. "This is a 200-year-old post office that served from before the Maharaja's reign to the British era. It was finally called a floating post office. There is no change in the number of posts sent around. We don't have time to talk when there is a tourist influx. Thousands of people visit this post office to take pictures. They can buy special covers, postcards and stamps from here. The letter is delivered to the houseboat by the postman, who hires a Shikara. This has been going on for years and is still going on," according to Farooq Ahmad, the Post Master. Mohd Ismail worked as a postman for India Post for many years. He has been delivering letters every day to people living on the lake. It is time-consuming to take a shikara and go to different houseboats, but the charm of doing so is what he likes the most. "I have been delivering letters in Dal Lake for ten years. It's so good for my health to breathe fresh air on the lake. I deliver around 100-150 letters a day. There is also a CRPF camp within the lake, which receives a lot of letters that I deliver. It takes me hours to deliver these letters. "I start at 11 am and finish at 5:30 pm," Mohd Ismail explained. Locals who live on or near the lake claim that the internet and social media have had a significant impact on letter writing and sending.But some people miss it as it used to be emotional to receive or send a letter in earlier times. "This post office has been there for a long time. It is so easy for houseboat owners to receive and send letters. People have shifted to email and social networks for now and the art of letter writing has gone down. It was a wonderful feeling to receive or send a letter, and it was even more wonderful to open a letter and read it.I miss it all, said Noor Mohammad, the owner of a houseboat. The floating post office has a collection of old stamps and used to have a small museum in one of the rooms, which was damaged in the 2014 floods.

World's only floating post office in Kashmir: Delivering letters since 200 years

When people decide to bring change, anything is possible. An initiative started by the locals of Srinagar city's Gill Kadal area to clean a dead lake and bring it back to life has finally paid off.

In the middle of the old city,&nbsp;Khushalsar lake was gasping for survival and had turned into a marshy land, making it difficult for locals to even breathe in the area.&nbsp;

However, in the last four months, the locals in the area took it upon themselves to start the process of cleaning the lake. Around 1,000 trucks of garbage have already been taken out and more is being cleared out.&nbsp;However, the lake looks alive again.&nbsp;

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Manzoor Wagnoo started the campaign and got everyone on board. He started with the locals and later involved the government to help them in cleaning this lake.&nbsp;

''The most important thing is that in Kashmir,&nbsp;most water bodies are in shambles. I took this initiative with the word Ehsaas. People were walking over the lake as it was dead. I went the next day and met with the locals to discuss the plan. People over there said that many have come and wanted to do this but no one stayed for beyond a couple of days. I literally with folded hands asked them to give me some time,"&nbsp;said Manzoor Wangnoo, social worker.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/caught-120-paintings-of-monet-modiglani-went-missing-in-1970s-replaced-with-fakes-391395" hreflang="en">Caught!: 120 paintings of Monet, Modiglani went missing in 1970s, replaced with fakes</a>

"I thought it was not a small job, I sought an appointment with Div Com and he was extremely helpful. He asked me to start work the following day. We started the work in February. Just a few days ago we threw open this lake and can you believe we took a shikara ride in this lake after thirty years. The whole water body was choked. Tourists in the old days used to come to take a shikara ride in this lake and there was a beautiful bird sanctuary, the children would swim there and we had a special fish called golden fish which I will make sure is found in it again."&nbsp;

People living around the lake had given up because&nbsp;they thought it would be impossible to bring it back to life. Some locals also said that in their childhood days, they would drink water from this lake and catch fish too.&nbsp;

''I have been living here for the last 50 years, we live right on the banks of this lake, I remember we used to fish here in my childhood and I have caught fish of 3 kgs in this lake, we used to drink this water but now you can't even touch the water. This place used to stink like anything, we would not come out in the gardens as there was so much stink,'' said Mohd Yousuf, a local.&nbsp;

The locals in the area donated money from their own pockets to clean this lake.&nbsp;

''We have initiated this here with the help of Manzoor Wagnoo. This was in a very bad state. People had started walking over it, It used to stink and there were animals all over it. Manzoor came here and brought us all together, we all donated money for the cleaning of this lake,'' said Mohd Maqbool, a local.&nbsp;

The government has been helping the locals in this initiative as well and have now started to clean the other portion of the lake called Gilsar.

''In Khushalsar, the initiative was taken by the locals there, it's a lake which is a part of Dal. There were huge piles of garbage dumped over years. We managed to take out 20 trucks of Garbage every day. We, under the support of Srinagar smart city, have supported this project. After the khushalsar, wehave started working on Gilsar lake too. Significant work has been done on both the lake and we are sure to bring them back to its earlier glory. We are reviving old water channels,'' said Athar Amin, Commissioner Srinagar SMC.&nbsp;

He also appreciated the locals for taking such initiatives and helping the government in reviving these water bodies. ''People are taking initiative which is encouraging for us also. if these water bodies are cleaned today and people start dumping garbage again won't serve the purpose, but people are starting to take these initiatives and we are extremely happy about it,'' added Athar Amin, Commissioner Srinagar SMC.&nbsp;

When people decide to bring change, anything is possible. An initiative started by the locals of Srinagar city's Gill Kadal area to clean a dead lake and bring it back to life has finally paid off.

When people decide to bring change, anything is possible. An initiative started by the locals of Srinagar city's Gill Kadal area to clean a dead lake and bring it back to life has finally paid off. In the middle of the old city, Khushalsar lake was gasping for survival and had turned into a marshy land, making it difficult for locals to even breathe in the area. However, in the last four months, the locals in the area took it upon themselves to start the process of cleaning the lake. Around 1,000 trucks of garbage have already been taken out and more is being cleared out. However, the lake looks alive again. Also read | Man with 39 wives dies in India due to hypertension Manzoor Wagnoo started the campaign and got everyone on board. He started with the locals and later involved the government to help them in cleaning this lake. ''The most important thing is that in Kashmir, most water bodies are in shambles. I took this initiative with the word Ehsaas. People were walking over the lake as it was dead. I went the next day and met with the locals to discuss the plan. People over there said that many have come and wanted to do this but no one stayed for beyond a couple of days. I literally with folded hands asked them to give me some time," said Manzoor Wangnoo, social worker. Also read | Caught!: 120 paintings of Monet, Modiglani went missing in 1970s, replaced with fakes "I thought it was not a small job, I sought an appointment with Div Com and he was extremely helpful. He asked me to start work the following day. We started the work in February. Just a few days ago we threw open this lake and can you believe we took a shikara ride in this lake after thirty years. The whole water body was choked. Tourists in the old days used to come to take a shikara ride in this lake and there was a beautiful bird sanctuary, the children would swim there and we had a special fish called golden fish which I will make sure is found in it again." People living around the lake had given up because they thought it would be impossible to bring it back to life. Some locals also said that in their childhood days, they would drink water from this lake and catch fish too. ''I have been living here for the last 50 years, we live right on the banks of this lake, I remember we used to fish here in my childhood and I have caught fish of 3 kgs in this lake, we used to drink this water but now you can't even touch the water. This place used to stink like anything, we would not come out in the gardens as there was so much stink,'' said Mohd Yousuf, a local. The locals in the area donated money from their own pockets to clean this lake. ''We have initiated this here with the help of Manzoor Wagnoo. This was in a very bad state. People had started walking over it, It used to stink and there were animals all over it. Manzoor came here and brought us all together, we all donated money for the cleaning of this lake,'' said Mohd Maqbool, a local. The government has been helping the locals in this initiative as well and have now started to clean the other portion of the lake called Gilsar. ''In Khushalsar, the initiative was taken by the locals there, it's a lake which is a part of Dal. There were huge piles of garbage dumped over years. We managed to take out 20 trucks of Garbage every day. We, under the support of Srinagar smart city, have supported this project. After the khushalsar, wehave started working on Gilsar lake too. Significant work has been done on both the lake and we are sure to bring them back to its earlier glory. We are reviving old water channels,'' said Athar Amin, Commissioner Srinagar SMC. He also appreciated the locals for taking such initiatives and helping the government in reviving these water bodies. ''People are taking initiative which is encouraging for us also. if these water bodies are cleaned today and people start dumping garbage again won't serve the purpose, but people are starting to take these initiatives and we are extremely happy about it,'' added Athar Amin, Commissioner Srinagar SMC.

Local residents bring back a dead lake in Srinagar

In Kashmir, artists have always had to struggle when it comes to showcasing their work, especially in the absence of any art galleries in Kashmir valley. But now, under the smart city project, local Kashmiri artists have been allowed to showcase their talent on the walls, flyovers and subways in the Srinagar city.

Kashmir: Artists can display their works on the walls, flyovers

Amid the increasing numbers of covid positive cases across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Hospitals across the valley have a huge demand for oxygen supply. And now the Indian army has come to the rescue of the state administration in fulfilling this ever-growing demand.

A defunct oxygen plant in Srinagar's Rangreth area has been restarted with the help of the Indian army. The oxygen plant has a capacity of filling 700 cylinders every day. This will take the pressure the state administration was facing in the last few weeks.

''This oxygen plant was defunct for the last 4 years, this used to refill around 700 cylinders in a day. Due to covid, we thought it's important to restart it. Chinar corp was approached by the civil administration and we brought the spare parts with the help of the air force from Mumbai. We got our engineers to work on this project and finished this project in a record time of 4 days. This facility has been thrown open today and will be refilling 700 cylinders a day.'' said Niladiri Roy, Lt Col, Indian Army.

As the plant was shut for the last 4 years, it had multiple problems in all subsystems like the Heavy Duty Air Compressor, the Chiller and even the Columnar Air Separator, which are vital parts of the plant. The army's engineers worked day and night to restore the plant.

''We were told to repair this plant in the least possible time. We got the material with the help of the air force. We are happy that we would be able to save the lives of people who require this oxygen. We are extremely proud that we worked day and night on the project to restore it. If we can save the life of anyone in the pandemic, it would be a lot to us.'' said Ravi Singh, Engineering Staff, Indian Army.

Indian Army has earlier set up a 200 bed Covid hospital in Srinagar's Rangreth area. One more hospital was established in the Uri Sector near the Line of Control.&nbsp;

Amid the increasing numbers of covid positive cases across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Hospitals across the valley have a huge demand for oxygen supply.

Amid the increasing numbers of covid positive cases across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Hospitals across the valley have a huge demand for oxygen supply. And now the Indian army has come to the rescue of the state administration in fulfilling this ever-growing demand. A defunct oxygen plant in Srinagar's Rangreth area has been restarted with the help of the Indian army. The oxygen plant has a capacity of filling 700 cylinders every day. This will take the pressure the state administration was facing in the last few weeks. ''This oxygen plant was defunct for the last 4 years, this used to refill around 700 cylinders in a day. Due to covid, we thought it's important to restart it. Chinar corp was approached by the civil administration and we brought the spare parts with the help of the air force from Mumbai. We got our engineers to work on this project and finished this project in a record time of 4 days. This facility has been thrown open today and will be refilling 700 cylinders a day.'' said Niladiri Roy, Lt Col, Indian Army. As the plant was shut for the last 4 years, it had multiple problems in all subsystems like the Heavy Duty Air Compressor, the Chiller and even the Columnar Air Separator, which are vital parts of the plant. The army's engineers worked day and night to restore the plant. ''We were told to repair this plant in the least possible time. We got the material with the help of the air force. We are happy that we would be able to save the lives of people who require this oxygen. We are extremely proud that we worked day and night on the project to restore it. If we can save the life of anyone in the pandemic, it would be a lot to us.'' said Ravi Singh, Engineering Staff, Indian Army. Indian Army has earlier set up a 200 bed Covid hospital in Srinagar's Rangreth area. One more hospital was established in the Uri Sector near the Line of Control.

COVID-19: Indian Army restores defunct oxygen plant in Srinagar

One of the oldest crafts of Kashmir called 'paper mache' has been dying a slow death. An artist in the valley has, however, emerged as a hope for the survival of this craft.

Iqbal Ahmad Wani from Srinagar is working hard to revive and introduce new designs in the paper mache. In an effort to take this art to those who can’t see he has uniquely started a series especially for visually impaired people. He has introduced braille into this age-old craft of Kashmir.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/specially-abled-artisans-saving-the-pashmina-and-sozni-craft-381154" hreflang="en">Specially-abled artisans saving the Pashmina and Sozni craft</a>

''Paper mache is an art of colours but we couldn't use these in the case of braille. So we only used three colours. As I haven't studied braille so I sought help from a designer in developing this. We have written a message on all the pieces that 'Life is a struggle and we all need to keep going','' said Iqbal Ahmad Wani.

The response towards the new designs and especially braille pieces has been good. People have appreciated the effort of the artisan and designer who came up with the idea of developing something so unique.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/iit-madras-alumnis-startup-3d-prints-600sqft-concrete-home-comprising-hall-kitchen-bedroom-381123" hreflang="en">IIT Madras alumni’s startup 3D prints 600sqft concrete home comprising hall, kitchen, bedroom</a>

''We did the first exhibition and the response of people was really good. People appreciated our efforts and said that they have seen something new in a long time. Of course, traditional stuff needs to be made but new designs have to be developed so as to keep the people interested. But we can never let go of our old designs as they are the reason for us being where we are," Wani said.

In the whole process, an NGO is helping Iqbal make this project a reality. The NGO works with artisans to help them with new innovations so as to increase the market.

''Connect to Kashmir is an organisation working in the valley since 2011. We chose 22 craftsmen from the valley to help them reinvent the art. We have a team of seven designers who, along with the artisans, came up with new ideas and designs. &nbsp;Iqbal and our designer had a brainstorming session wherein they came up with an idea of developing pieces for blind,'' said Javid Ahmad, consultant.

One of the oldest crafts of Kashmir called 'paper mache' has been dying a slow death. An artist in the valley has, however, emerged as a hope for the survival of this craft.

One of the oldest crafts of Kashmir called 'paper mache' has been dying a slow death. An artist in the valley has, however, emerged as a hope for the survival of this craft. Iqbal Ahmad Wani from Srinagar is working hard to revive and introduce new designs in the paper mache. In an effort to take this art to those who can’t see he has uniquely started a series especially for visually impaired people. He has introduced braille into this age-old craft of Kashmir. Also read | Specially-abled artisans saving the Pashmina and Sozni craft ''Paper mache is an art of colours but we couldn't use these in the case of braille. So we only used three colours. As I haven't studied braille so I sought help from a designer in developing this. We have written a message on all the pieces that 'Life is a struggle and we all need to keep going','' said Iqbal Ahmad Wani. The response towards the new designs and especially braille pieces has been good. People have appreciated the effort of the artisan and designer who came up with the idea of developing something so unique. Also read | IIT Madras alumni’s startup 3D prints 600sqft concrete home comprising hall, kitchen, bedroom ''We did the first exhibition and the response of people was really good. People appreciated our efforts and said that they have seen something new in a long time. Of course, traditional stuff needs to be made but new designs have to be developed so as to keep the people interested. But we can never let go of our old designs as they are the reason for us being where we are," Wani said. In the whole process, an NGO is helping Iqbal make this project a reality. The NGO works with artisans to help them with new innovations so as to increase the market. ''Connect to Kashmir is an organisation working in the valley since 2011. We chose 22 craftsmen from the valley to help them reinvent the art. We have a team of seven designers who, along with the artisans, came up with new ideas and designs. Iqbal and our designer had a brainstorming session wherein they came up with an idea of developing pieces for blind,'' said Javid Ahmad, consultant.

Art for all: Keeping 'paper mache' alive in India through braille

A jawan of Jammu &amp; Kashmir Police was killed when terrorists fired upon the residence of a BJP leader in the Nowgam area of the city here on Thursday, police said.

BJP leader Anwar Ahmad, who is the party's district general secretary for Baramulla and in-charge for Kupwara district, is safe, a police official said.

The official said that the militants fired upon the guard post of the BJP leader at Arigam Nowgam in the outskirts of the city here this morning.

In the firing, Constable Rameez Raja was injured and rushed to SMHS hospital in the city where doctors declared him brought dead.

The Medical Superintendent of SMHS Hospital, Dr Nazir Chowdhary, said the cop was brought dead to the hospital.

Terrorists decamped with an SLR rifle from the spot.

BJP's media in-charge Manzoor Bhat said the party's Kashmir unit strongly condemns the brutal attack.

(With inputs from agencies)

A jawan of Jammu & Kashmir Police was killed when terrorists fired upon the residence of a BJP leader in the Nowgam area of the city here on Thursday, police said.

A jawan of Jammu & Kashmir Police was killed when terrorists fired upon the residence of a BJP leader in the Nowgam area of the city here on Thursday, police said. BJP leader Anwar Ahmad, who is the party's district general secretary for Baramulla and in-charge for Kupwara district, is safe, a police official said. The official said that the militants fired upon the guard post of the BJP leader at Arigam Nowgam in the outskirts of the city here this morning. In the firing, Constable Rameez Raja was injured and rushed to SMHS hospital in the city where doctors declared him brought dead. The Medical Superintendent of SMHS Hospital, Dr Nazir Chowdhary, said the cop was brought dead to the hospital. Terrorists decamped with an SLR rifle from the spot. BJP's media in-charge Manzoor Bhat said the party's Kashmir unit strongly condemns the brutal attack. (With inputs from agencies)

Terrorists attack BJP leader's residence in Srinagar, policeman killed

Volunteers from across Jammu & Kashmir descended on Dal Lake to remove the layer of Lily weeds that threaten the lake's ecological balance.

South Asia Diary: Campaign to clean Kashmir's Dal Lake

Two policemen died after being shot at close range by a terrorist in Srinagar. The incident, the second such in three days, was captured on CCTV cameras located in the area.

Two policemen shot dead at terror attack in Srinagar, India

A group of foreign envoys are on a two-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir, India. The envoys met the mayor of Srinagar Junaid Mattu who said the delegation acknowledged that Jammu-Kashmir had free & fair DDC elections and it is the biggest example of a powerful democracy.

Jammu-Kashmir: Foreign envoys met the mayor of Srinagar

The terror attack has taken place in Jammu-Kashmir, India. This comes during the two-day visit of 23 foreign envoys to the Union Territory.

News Alert: Terror attack during visit of 23 foreign envoys in Jammu-Kashmir

A group of foreign envoys has arrived in Srinagar on a two-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir, India. The visit follows the country's move to restore 4G mobile internet services in J&K 18 months after the amendment of Article 370.

WION Dispatch: Foreign envoys on a visit to Jammu & Kashmir

Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the valley at -8.4 degrees Celsius, two notches below normal.

Kashmir reels under sub-zero temperatures

A thick layer of ice was seen on most roads in Srinagar and elsewhere in the valley, making it difficult for people to drive.

Kashmir freezes as minimum temperature dips to minus 8.3 degrees celsius

The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified on Thursday as the mercury fell several notches to settle well below the freezing point across the valley, officials said here.

Srinagar city -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius, which was over three degrees below the previous night's minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg tourist destination in north Kashmir recorded 10.4 degrees Celsius as against the previous night's low of minus 11 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

They said Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the valley. Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 9.6 degrees Celsius.

Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded the minimum of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in the north, registered a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag, in the south, minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.

The chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall, the officials said.

While 'Chillai-Kalan', which began on December 21, will end on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day-long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).

The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified on Thursday as the mercury fell several notches to settle well below the freezing point across the valley, officials said here.

The cold wave sweeping Kashmir intensified on Thursday as the mercury fell several notches to settle well below the freezing point across the valley, officials said here. Srinagar city -- the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir -- recorded a low of minus 5.9 degrees Celsius, which was over three degrees below the previous night's minus 2.2 degrees Celsius. Gulmarg tourist destination in north Kashmir recorded 10.4 degrees Celsius as against the previous night's low of minus 11 degrees Celsius, the officials said. They said Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the valley. Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 9.6 degrees Celsius. Qazigund the gateway town to the valley recorded the minimum of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in the north, registered a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius and Kokernag, in the south, minus 7.8 degrees Celsius, the officials said. Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' -- the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley. The chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall, the officials said. While 'Chillai-Kalan', which began on December 21, will end on January 31, the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day-long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).

Cold wave conditions in Kashmir, Srinagar freezes at minus 5.9 degrees Celsius

Just 48 hours before the commencement of DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir, three terrorists&nbsp;travelling in a car attacked Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and killed two Army jawans on Thursday. The incident took place at Parimpora on the outskirts of Srinagar. CCTV footage of the incident is now being analysed by the security forces in order to identify the attackers, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said.

The terrorists&nbsp;opened fire on the security forces at Khushipora in the Parimpora area, resulting in injuries to two army personnel. The injured soldiers were rushed to a military facility in the nearby Shariefabad camp where they succumbed.

"Three militants travelling in a car fired indiscriminately at the army men, leaving two of them seriously wounded. Both the injured soldiers have succumbed,"&nbsp;Kumar told reporters near the site of the incident.

The IGP Kashmir said security forces are now chasing the vehicle which was used in the attack.

"It seems the attack was carried out either by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) or Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit," he said.

"There is movement of LeT and Jaish here and we will identify the group behind the attack by evening. Among the three, two could be FTs (foreign terrorists) from Pakistan and one local. We are analysing the CCTV footage," he said.&nbsp;

(With PTI inputs)

Just 48 hours before the commencement of DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir, three terrorists travelling in a car attacked Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and killed two Army jawans on Thursday.

Just 48 hours before the commencement of DDC polls in Jammu and Kashmir, three terrorists travelling in a car attacked Quick Reaction Team (QRT) and killed two Army jawans on Thursday. The incident took place at Parimpora on the outskirts of Srinagar. CCTV footage of the incident is now being analysed by the security forces in order to identify the attackers, Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said. The terrorists opened fire on the security forces at Khushipora in the Parimpora area, resulting in injuries to two army personnel. The injured soldiers were rushed to a military facility in the nearby Shariefabad camp where they succumbed. "Three militants travelling in a car fired indiscriminately at the army men, leaving two of them seriously wounded. Both the injured soldiers have succumbed," Kumar told reporters near the site of the incident. The IGP Kashmir said security forces are now chasing the vehicle which was used in the attack. "It seems the attack was carried out either by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) or Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) outfit," he said. "There is movement of LeT and Jaish here and we will identify the group behind the attack by evening. Among the three, two could be FTs (foreign terrorists) from Pakistan and one local. We are analysing the CCTV footage," he said. (With PTI inputs)

Jammu and Kashmir: Terrorists kill two armymen

The lakes of Kashmir offer immense potential for water sports. Kashmir's kayaking and canoeing star Bilquis Mir trained on these water bodies, and she is now the director of the Water Sports Centre on Dal Lake. She overcame numerous hardships to become the first woman from the Valley to coach the Indian national team. Our correspondent Johan Castell travelled to Srinagar to meet India's water queen. Watch his report on Kashmir Connect, a special series on WION.

Kashmir Connect: Meet India's kayaking star on Dal Lake

Two jawans of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed on Monday in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Two CRPF jawans killed, three injured in Srinagar terror attack

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