Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir has been placed on maximum alert ahead of the 57-day annual Amarnath Yatra, with authorities rolling out an extensive security, surveillance and traffic management plan to ensure the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage beginning July 3.
The annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir will conclude on August 28. This year’s yatra will be significantly longer than last year’s 38-day pilgrimage and is expected to witness the arrival of thousands of devotees from across the country.
The Traffic Police Headquarters has issued a detailed advisory regulating the movement of convoy and non-convoy vehicles during the pilgrimage period.
According to the advisory, pilgrim convoys heading towards Baltal will leave Jammu at 4 am and cross Banihal by 10 am, while convoys bound for Pahalgam will depart at 4.15 am and cross Banihal by 10.45 am.
Authorities have also imposed cut-off timings for civilian traffic at several locations along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and other routes to facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrim convoys and prevent congestion.
Officials said the restrictions and enhanced security measures are aimed at ensuring the safety of pilgrims and maintaining seamless traffic movement during the annual pilgrimage. Commuters have been advised to follow traffic advisories and cooperate with security personnel throughout the yatra period.
Officials said security agencies have intensified preparations across the Union Territory, strengthening the security grid along the twin pilgrimage routes of Pahalgam and Baltal and at transit camps, base camps and other key locations.
As part of the enhanced security framework, specialised security teams have been deployed while comprehensive fire safety audits have been conducted in hotels, lodges and guest houses designated for pilgrims. Authorities have also introduced QR-based digital identification for service providers associated with the pilgrimage to improve monitoring and verification.
The security apparatus has been further augmented with the installation of additional CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition capabilities and other advanced surveillance systems along the routes and at vulnerable locations.
To assess preparedness and improve inter-agency coordination, security forces and civil agencies have conducted a series of mock drills across Jammu and Kashmir in recent days.
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