Jammu- A three-tier security system has been put in place in and around the Amarnath base camp in Jammu under the charge of Jammu and Kashmir Police’s security wing.
Forces have carried out search and sanitisation operations to ensure a safe commencement of the annual yatra from June 28 in Jammu.
The 52-day pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, located at a height of 3,880 metres, will commence from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-kilometre shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal — on June 29.
“Adequate security arrangements have been made for the yatra. Three-tier security measures have been put in place for the base camp in the Bhagwati Nagar area in Jammu,” Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Vinod Kumar said.
The SSP said that lodgment and registration centres in Jammu City are also under strict security.
Police have also secured the highway through which the yatra will pass every day.
“Security arrangements and area dominations have been enforced on the highway, and all points from borders have been plugged,” the office said.
“Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) have been activated, high-rise buildings dominated, and the security machinery is in law and order mode. All measures are in place for an incident-free yatra,” he said.
Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu serves as the primary base camp for pilgrims nationwide before they proceed to the cave shrine of Amarnath in the Himalayas of south Kashmir.
The yatra will be carried out on the 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.
As part of the security measures, the security wing has assumed control of the area and barred public access.
“Body scanners and CCTV cameras, including large 360-degree cameras, have been installed to monitor the camp and its surroundings round-the-clock,” officials said.
Several companies of the paramilitary are being deployed for security, they said.
Notably, high-end CCTV cameras have been installed along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway to monitor both pilgrimage and regular vehicular traffic, officials said on Tuesday.
The traffic department has installed 10 360-degree CCTV cameras from Udhampur to Banihal in Ramban district, while the police department has placed 60 cameras along the highway to monitor vehicular movement and identify suspicious individuals, they said.
The 52-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in south Kashmir is set to start on June 29 and conclude on August 19, as announced by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
“We have installed 10 high-end CCTV cameras at various key points from Udhampur to Banihal to monitor traffic,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic National Highway, Rohit Baskotra, told PTI.
These cameras are positioned at locations, including the Jakhani area of Udhampur, Dalwas, Khoni Nallah, Mehar, Battery Cheshma, Nachlana, Banihal Chowk, Tunnel-5, Shaligadi and Cutpoint, he said.
A control room has been established in Ramban to oversee traffic movement around the clock, Baskotra said.
“The control room monitors the highway 24/7, enhancing our efficiency in managing congestion, traffic jams, and other issues,” the SSP said.
The cameras are strategically placed at points where traffic conditions are particularly problematic and accidents are frequent, he added.
The traffic police have also issued an advisory for drivers on the highway during the Amarnath yatra, emphasising lane driving and warning of heavy fines for traffic violations. Contact numbers for technical support are also provided in case of vehicle breakdowns.
“With the CCTV cameras, if a vehicle breaks down or a traffic jam occurs, it will be visible in the control room, allowing a police team to quickly respond,” Baskotra said.
Special preparations have been made by the traffic police of Ramban and Udhampur to ensure smooth traffic flow on the national highway, a significant challenge during the pilgrimage period, he said.
LG Visits Baltal, Ensures Seamless Services
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Tuesday visited the Amarnath Yatra Base Camp at Baltal and reviewed the arrangements for the holy pilgrimage.
He directed senior officers of the Administration, SASB, Police, Security forces and other stakeholder departments to coordinate with each other for better security and Yatra management.
At Baltal Base Camp, the LG discussed with the senior officers of Police and Security Forces the security arrangements in place for the safe and secure pilgrimage. He took first hand appraisal of preparedness of the Administration, Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, health and disaster response teams and the service providers.
The LG also reviewed the facilities including accommodation, food, connectivity, transportation, power and water supply, sanitation, RFID counters, health, availability of fire tenders, medicines, oxygen, parking facilities, telecommunication, Heli services, IEC Activities, registration of service providers, etc.
The LG directed the officials to ensure that all the requisite amenities are in place and extension of seamless services to the devotees.
He also interacted with the representatives of service providers and appealed to them to provide every possible support to the visiting yatris.
Vijay Kumar, ADGP Kashmir; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, CEO, Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board; other senior officers of UT Administration, Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, Police and Army also accompanied the Lt Governor.
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