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New Year celebrated for the 1st time in Lal Chowk in J&K, Watch pics and videos


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For the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, people celebrated New Year at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Sunday.

People were singing and dancing to Bollywood songs at the historic clock tower, known as ‘Ghanta Ghar,’ in Lal Chowk. The clock tower got a major makeover this year before the G20, making it a popular tourist spot.

Locals and tourists gathered in large numbers to welcome the New Year at a place that hadn’t seen such celebrations before due to violence and law and order problems.

The lively atmosphere was brightened by decorative lights, creating a warm and colorful vibe around Lal Chowk. Buildings around Lal Chowk were lit up with vibrant lights. As the sun set, people who had gathered for the usual Sunday market also joined in the celebrations.

The crowd, a mix of locals and visitors, captured the moment on their phones as the singer on stage set the mood. Similar events were organized by the tourism department in famous tourist destinations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonmarg. Another local, Rouf Ahmad, who had family with him, said he came to witness the evening. “I’m delighted today. Locals and tourists are enjoying together and there is no fear. It’s a message to the people across the world to come and enjoy this paradise called Kashmir,” Rouf said.

Security forces, including police and CRPF men, were there to prevent any issues. In the past, events at Clock Tower were disallowed citing law and order problems. With the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the government has held functions and allowed activists to raise the tricolour atop the clock tower.

This year, the hosting of the G20 event proved to be a boost for development works in Kashmir as Srinagar was transformed with several new landmarks added to the city. The Jhelum Bund walkway has added options for the city dwellers for an evening outing, while electric buses and e-rickshaws have been introduced to combat pollution and provide ease of transportation.

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