Security beefed up in Anantnag ahead of PM's visit

A three-tier security was put in place in Anantnag district with Special Protection Group (SPG) overseeing the arrangements ahead of prime minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir beginning tomorrow.

Officials said SPG sanitised the area in and around the venue from where the Anantnag section of Qazigund-Baramulla railway line would be thrown open to public by the prime minister tomorrow.

With opening of the 18km line, the valley will be linked to its capital Srinagar and other important places, and the trains are expected to chug at a speed of 100km per hour.

In the wake of security arrangements, the operational rail service from Anantnag to Baramulla would run only up to Bijbehara, some 10km ahead of the venue today and tomorrow.

"All trains will remain cancelled between Bijbehara and Anantnag station on October 27 and 28", chief area manager, Srinagar, northern railway said in a statement.

Prime minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi will also address a public rally at Anantnag, 55km from here.

Later in the day, the prime minister would attend a CRPF function at Humhama at Srinagar Airport road.

A team of state government ministers also visited Anantnag yesterday to take an overview of the security arrangements.