Official parades and other celebrations connected with the country's 74th Republic Day passed off peacefully throughout J&K on Thursday without any untoward incident being reported from anywhere so far.
Lt. Governor, Manoj Sinha took salute at a parade after unfurling the national flag at the Maulana Azad stadium in Jammu.
Smartly turned out contingents of police, paramilitary, army and school children marched past the podium while the spectators cheered and lauded their disciplined march.
Addressing the gathering, Lt. Governor Sinha said, "Security agencies are busy in the last assault on terror, its ecosystem and its supporters to ensure everlasting peace in the Union Territory.
"UT administration and the Centre have taken a series of steps for the welfare of security agencies operating in J&K. We received 8400 applications from Kashmiri Pandits, whose land and property were grabbed forcibly in 1990. Administration is working to ensure such properties are retrieved and handed over to them," Sinha said.
"The situation in J&K is returning to normalcy and the evil designs of the enemy are being foiled. Year 2022 saw 55 per cent decrease in the civilian killings and the there was a significant dip in the killing of security forces personnel as well," the LG asserted.
"A series of developmental initiatives are going on in J&K to push the UT to new heights of achievements. Srinagar and Jammu will soon have Metros, the tubes on the Srinagar-Jammu highway are also being set up on war footing," he stated.
"J&K will have a Women Industrial Estate for the first time while promotions of almost 2,000 officers that didn't take place since 2001 are being cleared. Special focus of the administration is on the youth."
There was no untoward incident anywhere in Jammu division during the official parades in Jammu city and other district headquarters where concerned district development commissioners took salute.
The main Republic Day function was held in Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar city where R.R. Bhatnagar, advisor to the Lt governor, unfurled the national flag and took salute at the parade.
Despite the winter chill, large number of people turned out to witness the parade and attend the official functions. The parade and other celebrations connected with the Republic Day passed off peacefully in Srinagar city and all other district headquarters of the Valley.
Despite heavy deployment of security forces and other heightened security arrangements, life was relaxed in Srinagar city and the rest of the Valley.
No restrictions of any sort were imposed anywhere in the Valley on Thursday in view of the R-Day.
(With inputs from IANS)
