Amarnath Yatra begins in Kashmir Valley amid high security
Pilgrim gets carried in a palanquin during Amarnath Yatra.
The annual Amarnath Yatra began today in the Kashmir Valley amid heightened security across the Union Territory. Around fifteen thousand pilgrims took the journey on the first day from both the base camps in Baltal in Sonamarg and Nunwan in Pahalgam.
Around 60-70 thousand troops have been deployed to secure the Amarnath Yatra routes in the Union Territory. Multiple security review meetings were held before the start of the Yatra to make sure that every nook and corner of the Yatra was fully sanitised and secured. The 52-day Pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave situated at a height of 3880 metres will be guarded 24/7 by the forces.
Jammu and Kashmir Police makes adequate security arrangements
Jammu and Kashmir Government has established a digital Hi-tech Command Control Centre for real-time surveillance of the Amarnath Yatra routes. This will help the government to regulate the Yatra in a smooth manner. The Hi-tech Command Control Centre will have around 60 people from around 20 government departments working day and night. The departments working in the Hi-tech Command Control Centre include Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, NDRF, SDRF, Health, PHE, PDD, Telecom and many others.
There will be over two dozen PTZ High Definition 360-degree view cameras placed all through the routes from base camps till the cave. Dozens of static cameras have also been placed at strategically important places from both Baltal and Chandanwari base camps and along the National Highway that connects Kashmir Valley to the Jammu region.
In case of any natural disaster, teams from Jammu and Kashmir Police, NDRF, SDRF, BSF and CRPF have been deployed at all the critical junctures for both routes so that help can reach out to Yatris as soon as possible in case of any emergency.
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All the registered Yatris taking the pilgrimage will be provided with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). This is to make sure that all the Pilgrims are tagged and while they take the journey, the authorities would know their exact locations.
The Shrine Board has made full arrangements for food and lodging of pilgrims at Nunwan Base Camp, the base camp on the traditional route to Amarnath Cave. Around 130 langars have been set up from the base camp to the cave.
