Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 29: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is holding high level review of security in Jammu and Kashmir particularly the arrangements for Shri Amarnath ji pilgrims in Srinagar on July 1 during his two days visit to the State and will be part of first batch of pilgrims to have darshan of holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva on July 2.
The visit of Singh follows two days high level security review and yatra preparedness by Union Home Secretary LC Goyal including a visit to Panjtarni and cave shrine and prior to him similar review by Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Secretary (Internal Security) Ashok Prasad and Joint Secretary (Kashmir) Rajat Punhani.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Rajnath Singh will reach Srinagar in the afternoon of July 1 and hold high level review of security scenario with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh apart from all top brass of Army, para-military forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police and civil administration, engaged in making security for 59 days long annual Amarnath ji pilgrimage starting on July 2. The yatra will conclude on August 29.
Ahead of the visit of Rajnath Singh, the MHA has deputed teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which along with State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed on both tracks of yatra at Pahalgam and Baltal.
Sources said major focus of security review meeting being chaired by Rajnath Singh will be security arrangements for Amarnath yatra but entire security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir with regard to militancy and border will come under review with heads of Army, para-military forces, police and civil administration.
Singh will have dinner meeting with Governor NN Vohra, who happens to be the Chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) at Raj Bhawan on July 1 and discuss arrangements made for the yatra and the ways and means by which the MHA can further assist in yatra arrangements.
Singh will be first Union Home Minister of the country, who will become part of first batch of pilgrims to have darshan of holy Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva in the cave shrine of South Kashmir Himalayas on July 2. Apart from having darshan, Singh will also review yatra arrangements on the track.
After return from the yatra, he will fly back to New Delhi.
Meanwhile, the Centre and State Governments have deployed teams of NDRF and SDRF in addition to Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) of Army, para-military forces and police for protection of Amarnath ji pilgrims on both tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal as authorities today set up multi-agencies Joint Police Control Rooms (JPCRs) at base camps of both the tracks as part of intensified security arrangements for the yatra.
Sources said the NDRF teams from the MHA and SDRF teams from the State have taken position on both the tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal. The teams of NDRF and SDRF comprised adequate personnel to meet with any disaster on the tracks, they said, adding the MHA has specially deputed its NDRF teams from the Centre for deployment on the yatra tracks.
“The NDRF and SDRF teams will remain deployed on the twin tracks for all 59 days till completion of annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir Himalayas on August 29,” sources said.
This is for the first time that the NDRF teams have been specially deputed by the MHA for deployment along both the tracks for safety and protection of the pilgrims of the holy cave shrine of Amarnath ji. The MHA wants to ensure peaceful and smooth Amarnath yatra and it was in this context that top officers of the Union Home Ministry have been frequently visiting Kashmir to review security arrangements.
“Apart from NDRF and SDRF teams, the QRTs of Army, para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police have also been deployed at different places including two National Highways from Lakhanpur to Srinagar, base camps at Yatri Niwas, Jammu, Baltal and Nunwan and the two tracks,” sources said, adding that all security agencies engaged in security of the pilgrims have formed their own QRTs and deployed them at different places,” sources said, adding the Mountain Rescue Teams (MRTs) have also been deployed at difficult terrain of the two tracks.
According to sources, authorities have established Joint Police Control Rooms (JPCRs) of all security agencies at Pahalgam and Baltal to maintain coordination among each other to meet with any untoward situation at the base camps or the tracks during the pilgrimage.
“The JPCRs have been made functional well ahead of start of the yatra,” sources said.
Multi security agencies deployed for protection of the pilgrims will be connected with each other through the wireless system and mobile telephone network, they added.
Sources said both the tracks have been cleared of snow by the authorities well ahead of start of the yatra and all other arrangements like deployment of security forces, sanitization of track by sniffer dogs and other means, establishments of base camps etc have been completed.
“Army has taken over the heights of the holy cave shrine while para-military forces and police have been deployed in adequate strength on traditional Chandanwari and shorter Baltal tracks, forward base camps at Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal in Ganderbal, Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu and National Highways from Lakhanpur to Srinagar,” sources said.
Annual 59 days long pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine will start from forward base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam on July 2 and conclude on August 29 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. However, from Jammu base camp of Yatri Niwas, the yatra will start on July 1.
On spot registration for the pilgrims will start on June 30 at four places in Jammu including Vaishnavi Dham and Saraswati Dham at Katra, Yatri Niwas, Jammu and Geeta Bhawan, Parade Ground. On spot registration in Kashmir will open at Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) Nowgam in Srinagar.
Meanwhile, DIG South Kashmir range Nitish Kumar today issued an advisory for Amarnath ji pilgrims advising them not to reach base camp of Nunwan, Pahalgam without registration.
“No pilgrim will be allowed to proceed to the Yatra without mandatory registration. So it’s not advisable for the yatris to reach Nunwan unregistered only to return,” he said, adding even the pilgrims with registration of later dates shouldn’t reach the base camps in advance as they will be allowed to proceed to yatra only on due dates.
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