Srinagar's Iconic Clock Tower Gets A Swanky Facelift. Minister Posts Video

The iconic clock tower in Srinagar's city centre - the Lal Chowk, popularly known as the Ghanta Ghar, has got a makeover under the Srinagar Smart City Project.

Sharing a bird's eye view of the revamped structure, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that the "redeveloped sentinel now reflects the brightness of peace, progress, and prosperity sweeping across under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi".

"The clock tower in Srinagar's historic Lal Chowk has mirrored the times it has witnessed in the eventful journey of Jammu and Kashmir. This redeveloped sentinel now reflects the brightness of peace, progress, and prosperity sweeping across under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi," Mr Puri tweeted.

The aerial video shot at night shows the well-lit tower, standing tall at the centre of Srinagar's arterial road amid the regular hustle of the city.

Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu called the refurbished clock tower the "new plaza of Lal Chowk"

"The stakeholders, the traders, and the locals are celebrating this revival. Let us hope that this journey of transforming Srinagar continues. This clock tower is testimony to the fact that the SMC project has been successful. The shine of the Lal Chowk reflects the glory of Kashmir," Mr Mattu said in the over-a-minute-long video tweeted by Mr Puri.

Mr Mattu also shared a video of his visit to Lal Chowk and his interaction with the traders and locals and wrote: "A mirror for the eternal cynics!"

Locals feel the refurbished city square, named after Moscow's iconic Red Square, will add to the city's charm.

The CEO of the Smart City, Athar Amir Khan, who is also the Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation, said that being a historical place, the Lal Chowk is being turned into a space that can appeal to the city's young population, reported news agency PTI.

"It is one of the most prominent and well-recognized places in Srinagar. It is a part of the central business and is a hub of commercial activity. We have designed it in such a way that it becomes a public space, like the Polo View market," he told news agency PTI.

"A lot of tourists and locals come and stay here till late evening. The idea is to turn Lal Chowk into a tourist hub, like the Dal Lake and Nishat," Mr Khan was quoted as saying.

The clock tower is just one part of the project planned to give a facelift to Srinagar's Residency Road, Jehangir Chowk, Karan Nagar, and Batamaloo areas, he said.