Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday inaugurated the newly redeveloped Amira Kadal pedestrian bridge in Srinagar, saying the project reflects the administration’s effort to blend the city’s rich heritage with modern urban amenities under the Srinagar Smart City initiative.

Speaking to reporters after the inauguration, the Lieutenant Governor said the project was aimed at creating vibrant cultural and public spaces by integrating Srinagar’s traditional character with contemporary infrastructure.

“This is an old bridge whose redesigning began in 2023. Today, it has been dedicated to the residents of Srinagar. Under the Smart City project, we have ensured that ancient heritage and modern amenities are linked so that vibrant cultural spaces are created in the city,” Sinha said.

He said the administration’s focus has consistently been on reviving Srinagar’s historic connection with its traditions, whether through pedestrian bridges, riverfront development projects or the creation of public parks.

Officials said the wooden pedestrian bridge is expected to significantly improve pedestrian mobility across the Jhelum river while preserving the historic character of the Amira Kadal area.

The redeveloped bridge will provide safe and convenient access to the Jhelum riverfront and ensure seamless connectivity with key heritage and commercial zones, including Goni Khan, Maharaja Bazar and Hari Singh High Street, they added.

The project is part of a broader effort under the Srinagar Smart City programme to rejuvenate public spaces while maintaining the city’s architectural and cultural identity.

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday said his party has faced bullets for remaining with India and is prepared to do so again if necessary, dismissing the BJP’s allegation that the NC wants to revive stone-pelting and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a two-day convention of NC block presidents and secretaries, the former chief minister laughed off remarks attributed to a senior BJP leader claiming that the NC and the PDP thrive on unrest in the region.

“Tell him those who want to create disturbance are them, not us. We have taken bullets for staying with India, and we are ready to take them again if needed,” Abdullah said.

Rejecting calls for a fresh bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah described such demands as “foolish and ignorant.” He also ruled out the creation of new districts or separate divisions within the Union Territory.

Responding to demands for separate divisions for the Pir Panjal and Chenab valleys, Abdullah said these proposals were rooted in the Dixon Plan, a 1950 proposal by UN representative Sir Owen Dixon to divide the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The Dixon Plan is very old. Many people want to break the state, but they will never succeed,” he said, adding that the existing districts were sufficient and only needed effective administration.

Abdullah also criticised demands for separating Jammu from Kashmir and Ladakh, reiterating that the National Conference had never supported such ideas. Expressing hope that Ladakh, which was made a Union Territory in 2019, would one day be reunited with the former state, he said even people in Ladakh now oppose UT status.

“What benefit did Ladakh get? Even the people of Ladakh today say they want to return. Inshallah, one day Ladakh will come back,” he said.

Responding to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks on unemployment, Abdullah questioned her record as chief minister and that of her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, saying it was easy to criticise others while ignoring one’s own responsibilities.

On foreign policy issues, Abdullah commented on US President Donald Trump’s reported invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join a proposed ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza, saying the two leaders share a long-standing relationship that has seen ups and downs.

On the issue of talks with Pakistan, Abdullah accused sections of the media of having “Pakistan phobia” and recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s remark that neighbours cannot be changed. He also rejected the notion that recklessness was limited to any one country.

The minimum temperature dropped across most parts of the Kashmir valley as the region braces for spells of rain and snowfall later this week, raising the possibility of the first snowfall in the plains this winter, officials said on Tuesday.

Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius on Monday night, down from minus 1.2 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district was the coldest place in the valley, registering a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius. In south Kashmir, Shopian and Pulwama towns recorded minimum temperatures of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius and minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The famous tourist destination of Pahalgam, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, a sharp drop from minus 1.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.

Meanwhile, the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, nearly two degrees lower than the previous night.

Other places in the valley also witnessed sub-zero temperatures, with Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recording minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, Kokernag minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, officials said.

The Kashmir valley is currently experiencing ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, the harshest 40-day winter period, during which temperatures often plunge several degrees below the freezing point and the likelihood of snowfall remains high. The period began on December 21 and will end on January 30.

While the higher reaches of the valley have already received several spells of snowfall, the plains, including Srinagar, have remained snowless so far this winter. However, the Meteorological Department has forecast the possibility of snowfall in the plains during the ongoing week.

According to the Met Office, two western disturbances are likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir in quick succession from January 22 to 24 and again from January 26 to 28.

Under the influence of these systems, widespread light to moderate rain and snowfall is expected across the region, with heavy snowfall at isolated places. The main spell of weather activity is likely on January 23 and January 27, officials said.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday inaugurated the redeveloped Amira Kadal Bridge in Srinagar, describing it as a symbol of the city’s blend of heritage and modern infrastructure under the Srinagar Smart City Project.

Speaking to reporters after the inauguration, the Lieutenant Governor said the historic bridge—among the oldest in the city—has been completely rebuilt and equipped with modern amenities to enhance pedestrian convenience.

“The Amira Kadal Bridge, reconstructed under the Smart City initiative, reflects our commitment to integrating Srinagar’s rich heritage with contemporary civic facilities,” Sinha said.

He added that the project is aimed at creating vibrant public spaces and reconnecting Srinagar’s historic core with modern urban life. “Through such initiatives, the traditional charm and the old connection between Srinagar and Shehr-e-Khaas will be revived,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

Officials said the redeveloped bridge features smart lighting, seating areas and improved pedestrian pathways, making it a key cultural and pedestrian landmark linking Lal Chowk with adjoining markets along the Jhelum riverfront.

A massive search operation to flush out terrorists in the upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district entered its third day on Tuesday, with security forces detaining several individuals for questioning, officials said.

The operation was launched on Sunday in Sonnar village near Mandral-Singhpora in the Chatroo belt, following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area. The operation led to a gunfight, in which one Special Forces paratrooper, Havildar Gajendra Singh, was killed, while seven other personnel sustained injuries, mostly due to splinter wounds caused by a sudden grenade attack by the hiding terrorists.

Although the terrorists managed to escape into the dense forest, security forces busted a well-fortified hideout stocked with a large quantity of winter supplies, including eatables, blankets and utensils, sufficient to sustain at least four persons during the harsh winter months.

Senior officers, including Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, and Inspector General of CRPF (Jammu), R Gopala Krishna Rao, reached the encounter site and are camping in the area along with senior Army officers to supervise the ongoing operation.

Meanwhile, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at Satwari in Jammu on Tuesday morning to pay tributes to the slain Special Forces commando. The ceremony was led by Brigadier Yudhvir Singh Sekhon, Officiating Chief of Staff, White Knight Corps, following which the mortal remains were sent to his hometown in Uttarakhand for the last rites.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Jammu–Kathua–Samba range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Rakesh Minhas, and senior officers of the Army, Police, CRPF and BSF attended the ceremony.

Officials said that on Monday afternoon, several individuals were taken in for questioning in connection with the busted hideout, located at an altitude of over 12,000 feet. Security forces are working to identify overground workers (OGWs) who allegedly assisted the terrorists in procuring and transporting large quantities of rations, pulses, utensils and other supplies.

In a post on X, the Army’s White Knight Corps said Operation Trashi-I is continuing in the Chatroo area.

“The cordon has been further tightened with search operations expanded. Troops of the corps, along with Police and CRPF, remain deployed to dominate the area,” the Army said.

Multiple teams of the Army, police and paramilitary forces, aided by drones and sniffer dogs, are combing the area despite challenging terrain, thick vegetation and steep slopes that continue to hamper visibility and movement.

Officials said two to three terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), are suspected to be hiding in the area. Security operations have been intensified across the Jammu region ahead of Republic Day, amid intelligence inputs about attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to infiltrate more terrorists into the region.