Jammu: Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi range, Sarah Rizvi, on Tuesday reviewed security arrangements at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi and along the pilgrimage route ahead of the Navratri festival, set to begin March 19, officials said.
Chairing a joint security review meeting at Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, Rizvi assessed the measures in place to ensure smooth and peaceful conduct of the festival, which witnesses a large influx of pilgrims.
She directed setting up random naka points to intensify vehicle checking and round-the-clock joint long-range patrolling by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), officials said.
She called for enhanced foot patrolling, deployment at high points, activation of village defence guards (VDGs), continuous area domination exercises and long-range patrols as a part of security exercises in the area.
Special emphasis was laid on crowd management to ensure safety of pilgrims and prevent untoward incidents, including sabotage or stampedes, officials said.
The DIG also directed strict verification drives, including background checks of migrants, construction workers, pony porters and others entering Katra town.
The meeting was attended by the Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police Paramvir Singh besides various top officers of the CRPF, Army, Intelligence Bureau, CID, Indian Railways, traffic police and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board.
During the meeting, the SSP presented a comprehensive security grid plan for Katra town and briefed participants on arrangements at the base camp, along the yatra route and at the cave shrine.
Rizvi emphasised that ensuring foolproof security for pilgrims during the festival remains top priority.
Regular inspections of hotels, lodgings and homestays were also ordered to verify antecedents of visitors, officials said.
Officials said the meeting concluded with strong emphasis on inter-agency coordination to ensure a safe and hassle-free Navratri festival for the devotees visiting the shrine.
Chaitra Navratri is scheduled to start March 19 and end March 27, with the shrine board expecting a heavy rush of devotees from across the country.