G20 delegates arrive to warm, traditional welcome in J&K's Srinagar

A delegation of G20 countries arrived here on Monday to attend the third tourism working group meeting at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) by the banks of the famous Dal Lake.

The delegates were received at the Srinagar international airport by Union Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa.

The delegates drove to SKICC where a traditional welcome with turban, tilak and flowers was accorded to them.

Out of the 60 delegates who arrived here, the largest number is of the Singapore delegation while China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia have abstained.

In the afternoon, the formal meeting of the group will begin that will discuss five key priority areas -- Green Tourism, Digitalization, Skills, MSMEs and Destination Management.

As part of the elaborate security bandobust, the road leading to the venue will remain closed for vehicular movement for two days. Local traffic police has already issued an advisory appealing to people to adopt alternate routes.

--IANS

sq/dpb