J&K: clock tower at Srinagar's Lal Chowk illuminated in tricolor

The Clock Tower('Ghanta Ghar') at Lal Chowk of Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar has beenilluminated in Tricolour on Saturday, ahead of India's Independence Day onAugust 15.

Srinagar Mayor JunaidMattu took to Twitter to share a photograph of the clock tower that was lit upby the district administration for the first time.

"We have illuminated the Clock Tower ('Ghanta Ghar') at Lal Chowk in colours of the Tricolour ahead of Independence Day. New clocks fitted," he tweeted.

Meanwhile, Jammu andKashmir Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on August 5 inaugurated a sportsweek to celebrate Independence Day in Srinagar. 

Lal Chowk is a highlysensitive area in Srinagar. Traffic plying or a deserted look during shutdown,often gives a glimpse of the situation in the city.

In a similar incidenton Friday, the Zero Bridge, a popular spot for visitors in Srinagar, was alsoilluminated in tricolour of the national flag.

Two years after thebifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories of Jammu &Kashmir and Ladakh, there is a growing demand for the restoration of statehoodin both places. It is significant for Ladakh to have demanded this given itslong quest for UT status had finally materialised in 2019.

Lal Chowk is one ofthe prominent places in Srinagar. After the removal of Article 370, Jammu andKashmir is growing.  A lot of changeshave been witnessed by the local public of the state.

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Lal Chowk was thelocation where Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India,unfurled the Indian national flag in 1948, shortly after the countrygained independence from the British Empire.  It has traditionallyserved as a place for political meetings, with Jawaharlal Nehru and SheikhAbdullah (the first prime ministers of India and Jammu andKashmir, respectively) as well as other prominent political leaders havingaddressed people from