J&K chief secy reviews arrangements for Amarnath Yatra

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam on Saturday asked the police and administration to put all arrangements in place before June 25 for the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra next month, an official said.

Subrahmanyam reviewed the arrangements at a meeting, which was attended by the director general of police and other senior officers, the spokesperson said.

The chief secretary reviewed the facilities for the safe, smooth and secure movement of pilgrims, especially along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and Baltal and Chandanwari route, the official said.

Subrahmanyam directed the divisional commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu to monitor the arrangements at transit camps, particularly in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban, and in the base camps in Baltal and Chandanwari.

The chief secretary asked the Jammu divisional commissioner to work out a plan for transit camps, especially between Udhampur-Ramban-Banihal stretch, in the event of a blockade of the national highway due to landslides. He stressed on keeping the Mughal Road operational as an alternative route.

The chief secretary also reviewed the status of the track upgradation works on Baltal and Chandanwari routes up to the holy cave, improvements at the access control gates, establishment of camps, shelter sheds, health/medical camps and emergency operation centers (EOCs) at various locations, provision of drinking water supply, lighting, LPG, ration, medicine and mobile connectivity besides establishment of joint control rooms, the spokesperson said.

The DGP informed that 11 mountain rescue teams of the police, four NDRF teams and rescue teams of the SDRF and the CRPF would be deployed at various locations to deal with various contingencies.