Preparation for Amarnath Yatra starts in J&K, security a top priority for the government

After the Pahalgam terror attack, the Amarnath Yatra commencing on July 3 is one of the major concerns for the security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir. Conducting the Yatra peacefully and without any untoward incident remains the top priority of the government and security forces across the Union Territory.

Preparations are underway at both the base camps for the Amarnath Yatra at Baltal base camp in Sonamarg and Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam, Anantnag. The base camps used to be tent structures put up till last year but this year proper structures have been made for the Yatris to stay. Work is going on day and night to complete the structures to make the stay of Yatris comfortable.

The government of Jammu and Kashmir is also hopeful that Yatris will come in huge numbers this year and could be seen as a start of revival of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.

''The Yatra is starting, and We are hopeful for meeting the Bholenaath, a lot of people will come and once they go back from here they will tell everyone that Kashmir is peaceful and beautiful, '' said Farooq Abdullah, President, JKNC.

All the government departments have been meeting and coordinating with each other for the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage. The key issues discussed include security and traffic management, accommodation for pilgrims, yatra registration facilities, sanitation and fire safety measures.

Security measures have also been beefed-up across the Highway connecting the routes to both the Base camps in Anantnag and Ganderbal district. Jammu and Kashmir Government will establish 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.

''Our effort will be that Yatra passes off peacefully and the Yatris who come for Puja should complete the Yatra and go back peacefully and that's our effort always and will always be, '' said Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister J&K.

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 will include Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, NDRF, SDRF, Health, PHE, PDD, Telecom and many others.

There will be dozens of PTZ High Definition 360-degree view cameras placed all through the routes from base camps till the cave. Dozens of static cameras will be placed at strategically important places from both Baltal and Nunwan base camps.

In case of any natural disaster, teams from Jammu and Kashmir Police, NDRF, SDRF, BSF and CRPF will be deployed at all the critical junctures for both the routes so that help can reach out to Yatris as soon as possible in case of any emergency.

All the registered Yatris taking the pilgrimage will be provided with the 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.