Specialised security teams, fire safety audits of hotels and guest houses, QR-based IDs for guides and pony operators, and expanded CCTV coverage are among the measures being planned for the Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3.
With the annual pilgrimage set to start next month, extensive security arrangements are being put in place for yatris. Senior security officials said 140 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will be deployed along the route alongside the J&K Police and other forces.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, Amod Nagpure said Friday that J&K Police have begun area domination and preventive action exercises in the district. “Specialised teams of the J&K Police such as Markhors, Snow Leopards and Mountain Rescue Teams among others are involved in providing security to the pilgrims travelling to the cave,” he said.
Police pickets have already been established along the route to the cave. The number of elevated police checkpoints has also been increased, while CCTV coverage is being expanded.
Among the key measures is a fire safety audit of all hotels and guest houses across Jammu province — a move that assumes significance after 21 people died in a fire at a ground-plus-five-storeyed bed-and-breakfast establishment in ’s Malviya Nagar.
Officials, citing an order from the office of the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, said the audit will be conducted in all 10 districts of Jammu province. The committee, comprising a magistrate, officials from tourism, fire and emergency services and the public works (R&B) department, besides an SDRF representative, will submit daily reports.
“In view of the prevailing heat-wave conditions and recent fire incidents, and keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims/tourists, all Deputy Commissioners of Jammu division are hereby directed to constitute a committee in the district under their respective jurisdiction for conducting safety audits of Hotels/Guest Houses etc., with special emphasis on fire audit,” the order said.
Police will also introduce QR-based identification for service providers such as pony operators and guides through a mobile application called “Pehchan”. Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) will also be issued to every registered pilgrim, officials said.
The Amarnath Yatra, which draws lakhs of pilgrims every year, will run for 57 days this year from July 3 to August 28. Last year, it lasted around 38 days.
The pilgrimage takes place along two routes — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam track in Anantnag and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Meanwhile, the Kishtwar district administration on Friday suspended the Shri Machail Mata and Mindhal Mata yatras for the day following continuous heavy rainfall, advising pilgrims to stay put until further advisories. The move comes nearly a year after 50 people — mostly pilgrims — died in a massive cloudburst in Chishoti village near the Machail Mata temple. Months after the tragedy, several are still missing.
