Srinagar: With Jammu and Kashmir anticipating a huge rush of pilgrims for the Amarnath Yatra this year, additional companies of security forces have started arriving in Kashmir to ensure fool-proof security to the pilgrimage.
Quoting officials, news agency KNO reported that everyday at least four companies of additional security forces arrive in Kashmir who are going to be deployed along the highways, at base camps, vulnerable points and also at en-route the cave shrine of Amarnath in Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal, Sonmarg in Ganderbal districts.
“The process of bringing additional security forces to Kashmir for smooth conduct of pilgrimage has started. Each day, on an average, four additional companies arrive here. The companies are of CRPF, ITBP, BSF and SSB,” an official privy to the development said.
He said that the process will continue till May-end and that they will be deployed accordingly.
An official said that Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla reached Srinagar to review the preparations of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and security agencies with regard to Yatra. Bhalla chaired a meeting in Srinagar where he, according to sources, hailed the synergy between the police, army, CRPF, BSF and other security agencies. However, he stressed on making fool-proof security arrangements to ensure smooth and incident-free pilgrimage.
During the meeting, sources said that Bhalla stressed on keeping a close watch on suspects and directed the security officials to speed up the anti-militancy operations ahead of the pilgrimage.
The Yatra will begin on June 30 this year and last for 43 days.
“A multi-layer security cover will be put in place to ensure incident-free yatra,” sources said.
As part of the security plan, the pilgrims will be travelling in vehicles having RIFD chips that will help police to track their movement. A cut-off timing will soon be released for the vehicles ferrying pilgrims so that they remain under the radar of security agencies, the sources said.
Pertinently, J&K government is expecting a record number of pilgrims this year. (With KNO inputs)
