Union Home Minister Amit Shah Saturday laid foundation stone of ‘Balidaan Stambh’ (martyr’s memorial) at Pratap Park in the heart of the city here. ?

Shah, along with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, laid the foundation stone at the park near the Lal Chowk city centre – the commercial hub of the Srinagar city, officials said.

The memorial, a project under the Srinagar Smart City, is a tribute to the martyrs' who sacrificed their lives for the nation, the officials said. Immediately after laying the foundations stone, Shah went to Raj Bhavan, the LG's official residence.

While stringent security arrangements had been put in place for the function, shops in and around the venue were open and traffic remained normal, except when it was briefly stopped at the stretch between Regal Crossing and Lal Chowk till Shah left the venue, officials said.

The Union minister also visited the Karan Mahal – the residence of the last Yuvraj of Jammu and Kashmir, Karan Singh. Shah also met some select people at the Police Golf Course overlooking the Dal Lake here, before going back to Delhi.