New Delhi, Jun 27: The Union home ministry is set to conduct the final security review for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, as confirmed by official sources. The meeting, chaired by Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, will take place at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in North Block. Attendees will include heads of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) such as CRPF, BSF, ITBP, along with senior officials from intelligence agencies, the Army, Jammu and Kashmir administration, and the Amarnath shrine board.
Scheduled to commence on July 1 and run until August 31, the 62-day annual pilgrimage is fast approaching. This review serves as the final security assessment prior to the start of the Amarnath Yatra. The meeting will focus on the deployment of security forces in specific locations along the pilgrimage route. Notably, a significant change this year involves the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) not being stationed at the cave shrine and several other key points along the path.
Traditionally, the CRPF has guarded the cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,888 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas, as well as important pilgrim camps along the way. This year, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been assigned the responsibility of guarding the cave shrine, with the CRPF being deployed just below the stairs. Additionally, the ITBP and BSF troops will be stationed at six other locations along the route, a duty typically performed by the CRPF.
These adjustments have been made in response to emerging security threats and challenges while considering the requirements of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. Given that a significant number of CRPF units are already deployed in conflict-ridden Manipur and for the panchayat polls in West Bengal, the primary internal security force of the country has been entrusted with securing the yatra route in the Kashmir valley. Pilgrims will board buses from there to begin their uphill journey.
The Amarnath Yatra offers two routes, namely Baltal and Pahalgam, both situated in Jammu and Kashmir. Officials anticipate a potential increase in the number of visitors this year, with last year’s count reaching 3.45 lakh individuals, possibly surpassing the half-a-million mark, as per the officials’ statement.
