Security arrangements in place for Amarnath Yatra: JK official

The Jammu and Kashmir government has said that all necessary security arrangements have been worked out to ensure safety of pilgrims during the 59-day annual Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin in July.
"All the necessary security arrangements en route (to the cave shrine) have been worked out and foolproof mechanism would be put in place to check any untoward incident," an official spokesman said after a high level meeting here.
The meeting, chaired by state Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, was convened yesterday to review the arrangements for the forthcoming yatra to the 3,880-meter high holy cave shrine of Amarnath, that houses the naturally formed ice-shivlingam.

The spokesman said access control rooms would be established at Domail on shorter 16-km Baltal-cave route in Ganderbal district and Chandanwari along the traditional 45-km Pahalgam-cave route in Anantnag district, ahead of the commencement of the yatra on July 2.
The 430 branches of various banks are registering yatries on a daily basis. Besides, the provision of booking the helicopter tickets online is also there, the spokesman said, adding current registration provisions for the yatries would also be provided.
He said the Health department has been told to make available ventilators at base hospitals at Pahalgam and Baltal and set up more control rooms for general convenience of the yatries.

The Roads and Buildings department has been asked to undertake necessary repairs of the twin routes and the national highway, the spokesman said.

He said necessary sanitation measures would be put in place en route and also at the base camps, during the yatra days.
Addressing the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister directed the departments to work in close coordination for smooth conduct of the yatra.
"Lacuna, if any, should be removed so that the departments work in close coordination and in a synergised manner," Singh said.
The spokesman said the Deputy Chief Minister later called on state Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), at Raj Bhavan and briefed him about the review meeting.