Jammu, June 17: A high-level delegation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) along with all heads of paramilitary forces and Intelligence agencies is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir for two days on June 20 and 21 to assess preparedness especially security arrangements for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji, beginning July 3 in South Kashmir Himalayas.
Officials told the Excelsior that the MHA team headed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and comprising heads of all paramilitary forces including CRPF, BSF, SSB etc, Intelligence Bureau (IB) and other senior officials of the Union Home Ministry will review security arrangements for 57-day-long yatra in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
The MHA meeting in Jammu is expected on June 20 followed by a similar meeting in Kashmir division the next day.
Top officials of civil and police administration, paramilitary and Intelligence agencies from Jammu and Kashmir will attend the meeting. The divisional officials from Jammu and Kashmir will attend the review meetings in their respective divisions. Jammu and Kashmir Police will play major role in security arrangements for the yatra.
The MHA delegation’s on-spot review of Shri Amarnath Ji yatra preparedness comes just days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah assessed the arrangements at the high-level meeting in New Delhi on June 12 which among others was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP Nalin Prabhat and heads of all paramilitary forces, Intelligence agencies and other senior officers from MHA and UT administration.
Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage is starting on July 3 and will conclude on August 28 coinciding with Sharavan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
“Ninety percent deployment for security of Shri Amarnath Ji yatra is complete and remaining 10 percent security forces will be in place before June 20 i.e. nearly 12-13 days ahead of start of the pilgrimage,’’ the officials said.
The MHA has approved deployment of 670 companies of paramilitary forces for deployment during pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir. Majority of the companies have been deployed in the Kashmir division.
Besides security, as per the officials, other arrangements for the yatra will also come up for review by the MHA’s high-level team in both the divisions including accommodation, transportation, langars, health, sanitation etc.
Going by the heavy influx of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir and rush for registration of Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage, the authorities are expecting good number of yatris to reach for darshan of holy Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir Himalayas this year.
In Jammu, the deployment will start right from Lakhanpur, the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir. Along with police, the paramilitary companies will guard Pathankot-Jammu and Jammu-Srinagar National Highways, Railway Station, Airport, Bus Stand and Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas from where the pilgrims take off in the morning in convoy amid tight security arrangements.
“All places meant for accommodation of the pilgrims will also be fully protected,” the sources said.
In Kashmir, tight security arrangements are being made at base camps of Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam), the twin tracks and the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir Himalayas besides all other places meant for stay and movement of the pilgrims.
Sources said general security in Jammu and Kashmir is also being further strengthened before the pilgrimage to ensure that few left-out terrorists don’t manage to strike.
The high-level MHA security review meeting in both the divisions is likely to focus on deployment of security personnel along the traditional Pahalgam and Baltal routes, counter-terrorism strategies, protection of pilgrim convoys, emergency response mechanisms, healthcare facilities, communication systems, and overall logistical arrangements, the sources said, adding that special focus is on intelligence coordination among various agencies, surveillance measures along the Yatra routes, and contingency plans to tackle any unforeseen challenges or security threats.–(Daily Excelsior)
