Even as the tension escalated with Pakistan reacting to the Indian Air Force’s night raids a day before, Punjab Government on Wednesday refused to order evacuation of border villages as yet. At the same time, the operation of civil flights resumed from all airports of the state, including Chandigarh, by the evening that were suspended in the morning following Pak’s air raids.

With the clouds of war looming large and rising levels on anxiety among the people in the wake of escalation between the two neighbouring nations, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh continuously reviewed the situation with the army, police and civil administration.

Capt Amarinder had tweeted that Punjab was “absolutely ready for any eventuality”, and he has communicated to the Union Home Ministry that “Punjab is prepared to do whatever may be needed in the service of the country”.

As per reports, the army and paramilitary officers are holding meetings with the sarpanch and people of the villages in the state’s border areas to make them aware about the prevailing situation and keeping them prepared in case of any eventuality.

The activity of the Border Security Force (BSF) and Army troopers was heightened in view of the high alert sounded by the state government a day before. Notwithstanding, there was no panic among people of birder villages because of possibility of war.

While the people in some of the border villages show concern over the volatile situation and were seen shifting their valuable belongings to other villages, many others were unmoved and were seen performing their daily chores including farming at the border.

Amritsar MP Gurjit Singh Aujla, who visited a number of villages in Amritsar district’s border belt, maintained that there was no panic amongst the people. “I have visited several villages to assure people that all security measures were in place and there is nothing to fear. And people are quite upbeat about the situation. There is no panic,” he said.

Punjab shares a 553-km-long international border with Pakistan which has barbed wire fence inside the Indian territory. Its six border districts — Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur and Fazilka — have been put on high alert on Tuesday following the IAF strike.

The Chief Minister has issued strict instructions to the Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police of these districts to put in place all contingency plans to ensure the protection and safety of the citizens.

At different strategic locations, including installations, highways and border areas, the Army troopers took control of the state. By the evening, the army was maintaining security at all strategic points.

In the morning, the civil or commercial flights were suspended from all major airports in the northern region, including Amritsar, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Pathankot, Adampur, and Halwara. However, by the evening, the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced resumption of operations “as of now” at the nine airports, which were shut earlier in the day.

“The arrival and departure of all civil flights from Amritsar international airport, which was suspended earlier, has began,” said Amritsar’s Guru Ram Dass International Airport director Manoj Chansoria.

At the same time, the official sources maintained that the airports in Chandigarh, Amritsar, Halwara, Pathankot, Adampur, Bathinda, Sirsa and Ambala have been put on high alert.

Owing to the air space restrictions, the Chief Minister’s scheduled tour to the border districts, which was to begin from Wednesday, has been rescheduled to Thursday. Capt Amarinder reached Jalandhar by road where he held a high level meeting with the top brass of the Army, the Border Security Force (BSF), the ITBP and the Punjab Police, to review the situation.

The Chief Minister will tour the border areas of sensitive districts to take stock of situation in view of tensions at LoC, and camp in the border areas as a part of confidence-building measures undertaken by the State Government.

“I will go around the border areas in the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Pathankot, Faridkot and Ferozepur over the next two days to instil confidence among the people,” he said while asking the police and security forces to sensitize the people about the situation, in wake of IAF air strikes on militant hideouts across the Line of Control (LoC) following the Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir.

The officials briefed the Chief Minister about the security measures undertaken at all the sensitive installations, including the army bases and the airports, in the region. Adequate steps had also been taken to prepare the civil hospitals to handle any situation, which might arise in the current circumstances.

Capt Amarinder said that later, the armed and paramilitary forces had taken sufficient measures to ensure the state’s preparedness and the safety of its people.

 Earlier before leaving Chandigarh, the Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting of the police and civil administration of the state to take stock of the situation and discuss steps to maintain peace and law and order in the state.

FULLY PREPARED TO DEAL WITH ANY EVENTUALITY: PUNJAB CM

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday made it clear that the state is fully prepared to deal with any eventuality amid the escalating tensions at the LoC.

At the same time, he appealed to the people in the border areas to be wary against rumour mongering in the prevailing volatile situation.

Chief Minister, who had to delay his departure from Chandigarh due to inclement weather followed by air space restrictions, said that the situation was under control and the armed and paramilitary forces, along with the police and district administrations, were aggressively countering all rumours.

Capt Amarinder extended all possible help from the State to the Army to tackle the situation and ensure that the border areas remain stable and secure amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.

KARTARPUR CORRIDOR CONSTRICTION WORK IN PROCESS

The construction work on the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib corridor continued without interruption on Wednesday with the Gurdaspur District Administration maintaining that no orders have been received as yet from anyone to stop the work.

Scotching rumours of work being halted, the Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Vipul Ujjwal said that the work is going on at full pace. “I have received no instructions from Army to stop work,” he said.