SRINAGAR: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday conducted multi-agency mock exercises along the Baltal axis and at Nunwan Base Camp, Pahalgam, as part of preparations for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY)-2026.
The drills were aimed at assessing emergency preparedness, testing response mechanisms and strengthening coordination among departments and agencies involved in Yatra management.
At Baltal, the exercise was conducted under the supervision of Brig. PS Gurung (Retd.) and simulated multiple emergency scenarios, including a fire incident at Baltal Base Camp, drowning/accident near the riverside, a stampede-like situation at Domail and a landslide/shooting stones incident at Brarimarg and Rail Pathri.
The exercise witnessed participation from District Administration, Police, SDRF, NDRF, Health Department, Fire and Emergency Services, Civil Defence, BRO, Army, CRPF, BSF, Disaster Management teams, Traffic Police, volunteers and other stakeholders.
Rescue teams carried out mock evacuation, search and rescue operations, firefighting response, emergency medical assistance, casualty evacuation, communication drills and traffic management exercises. Ambulances, rescue vehicles, firefighting equipment and disaster response resources were deployed to assess operational readiness.
Brig. Gurung said the exercise helped stakeholders understand their roles and further strengthened inter-departmental coordination for effective emergency response during the pilgrimage.
At Nunwan Base Camp, the NDMA conducted the drill in collaboration with District Administration Anantnag under the chairmanship of Major General Sudhir Bahl (Retd.), Lead Consultant (Medical Emergencies and Incident Response System), NDMA.
The exercise simulated medical emergencies, fire incidents, disaster response, evacuation operations and security contingencies to assess coordination, communication and response capabilities of various agencies.
Officials from civil administration, UTDMA, CRPF, Fire and Emergency Services, Health Department, Army, J&K Police, ITBP, BSF, NDRF, SDRF and other departments participated in the drill and demonstrated preparedness for handling emergency situations.
Major General Sudhir Bahl (Retd.) stressed the importance of coordinated planning, prompt response and effective communication among all agencies to ensure the safety of pilgrims. He said regular mock exercises are essential to enhance emergency preparedness and improve coordination.
Simultaneously, mock drills were conducted at Sheshnag and Panchtarni Yatra stations, where flashflood and fire scenarios were simulated. The exercises were livestreamed, while Member NDMA Krishan Vats joined the debriefing session online along with Camp Directors of Sheshnag and Panchtarni.
The NDMA experts later conducted a post-exercise review to assess the response mechanisms and identify areas requiring further improvement. The drills reinforced the preparedness of all departments for the safe and smooth conduct of SANJY-2026.