CCTVs to keep watch on community kitchens for Amarnath pilgrims

Community kitchens that would feed lakhs of pilgrims on way to the cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas will be monitored by CCTVs, officials said Friday.

The yatra will commence on July 1 and continue for 46 days till August 15.

This time CCTVs would be installed at each langar (community kitchen) site along the Pathankote-Jammu-Baltal highway as a security measure, they said.

They said 105 langars for pilgrims will be available at 17 places in Jammu, 8 in Kathua, 10 in Udhampur and 28 in district Ramban.

They said halting points have been finalized in all the highway districts including6 in Kathua, 17 in Jammu, 26 in Udhampur and 22 in district Ramban from Kathua district (entry point in J&K) to Baltal in Ganderbal district.

They said mobile toilets have been made available at 17 different locations.

Advisor to Governor K Vijay Kumar Thursday chaired a high level meeting to review arrangements being put in place for smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra.

Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma gave a detailed presentation on arrangements being made for smooth conduct of annual yatra to the cave shrine in South Kashmir.

Facilities for on the spot registration of pilgrims have been made at Jammu, Sangam, Sarasvati Dham, Vashnavi Dham, Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi while adequate number of buses have been arranged to ferry pilgrims from Jammu to Pahalgam and Baltal, they said.

Similarly arrangements for accommodation and shelter sheds will be available for pilgrims at all districts en route, he said.

The Advisor also reviewed security arrangements and sought details from officers concerned about the scale of deployments along the twin routes of Phalgam and Baltal.

The IG Traffic apprised the Advisor about the traffic management plan and condition of highway from Udhampur to Banihal. Vulnerable points have been identified and executing agencies are at work.