Amarnath Yatra 2023: With less than a week to go before the commencement of the Amarnath Yatra, Director General of Central Reserve Police Force SL Thaosen on Sunday reviewed the security arrangements at the Baltal base camp and several halting stations which are en route to the holy cave shrine.
"The success of this monumental event hinges upon our collective commitment and unparalleled coordination," Thaosen said.
The annual pilgrimage to the shrine, which is located at a height of 3,880 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas, will commence on July 1 and continue till August 31.
Preparedness of CRPF for Yatra
A CRPF spokesperson said that the DG visited the camps located at Baltal, Domail, Sarbal and Neelgrath to review the operational and administrative preparedness of the CRPF deployed for the Amarnath Yatra 2023.
The DG inspected the camps to assess the arrangements for the yatra to ensure a safe atmosphere for the pilgrims, the spokesperson said.
“Emphasising a zero-error policy, every aspect of security planning was scrutinised to mitigate any potential risks and ensure a seamless, secure and pleasant experience for the pilgrims,” he said.
Besides taking stock of the CRPF's operational readiness for the yatra, the DG also reviewed the disaster management preparedness, the spokesperson added.
He assessed the force's contingency drills to ensure the force's timely response in case of any unforeseen mishap or natural calamity, such as cloud burst in 2022. At least 13 people were killed when a cloudburst near the Amarnath shrine triggered flash floods on July 8, 2022, damaging 25 tents and three community kitchens.
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Amit Shah chairs review meet ahead of Amarnath Yatra
Amit Shah chairs security review meet: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, reviewed the security situation in the Union Territory ahead of the Amarnath Yatra which is set to begin on July 1, sources said on June 23.
J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, and top officials of the intelligence agencies, paramilitary forces, police and the civil administration participated in the meeting in Srinagar. Shah took stock of the situation in the meeting. He was given a detailed briefing in which he was apprised about the situation along the International Border as well as the Line of Control, sources said.
Following the briefing, the Home Minister gave necessary directions to the security agencies to make sure that there is a peaceful atmosphere in the Union territory, they added.
Shah's instructions for comfortable Amarnath pilgrimage
In June 9 meeting in the national capital, Shah said that the Narendra Modi government’s priority was to ensure a comfortable Amarnath pilgrimage. He had also directed the officials to make adequate security arrangements along the entire pilgrimage routes in Jammu and Kashmir.
The pilgrims are slated to travel through two routes - Baltal and Pahalgam - in Jammu and Kashmir.
(With PTI inputs)
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