New Delhi: The security review meeting over the upcoming Amarnath Yatra that took place at the Home Ministry on Friday focused on various factors that are involved with the annual pilgrimage including chopper service, health, roads, communication and infrastructure.
A senior official from the security grid told ETV Bharat that it was the first such meeting where all aspects of the Amarnath Yatra were discussed. "Ranging from chopper service, health, roads, communication, infrastructure and above all providing foolproof security to the devotees were discussed in the meeting," the official said wishing not to be named.
Friday's meeting at the North Block was chaired by Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla where top officials of the Indian Army, CRPF, NIA, BSF, and IB among others were present. Representatives from the J&K administration, J&K's unified command structure, and secretaries of defence, health, roads and highways, among others attended the meeting virtually.
Asked about the number of paramilitary companies required to be deployed for the Yatra, the official said that no decision has been taken in Friday's meeting. "Ahead of the Yatra, a few more meetings will take place and the required number of companies of paramilitary forces will certainly be deployed to ensure the safety of the Yatris," the official said.
It is learnt that the meeting also discussed the use of drones and radio frequency identification (RFID) to protect the pilgrims from all possible threats. "It was suggested that from the moment, the Yatris enter Lakhanpur along Punjab-Jammu borders, RFID tags will be used," the official said.
Another official said that the meeting emphasised the use of anti-drone technology to avert all possible drone attacks by the anti-social elements. "The drones will be used to maintain close monitoring on every stretch of the Amarnath Yatra," the official said.
The meeting expressed concern over the use of drones by non-state actors in J&K to destabilise peace. The meeting also highlighted the importance of security on some critical routes to the Amarnath shrine. It was discussed in the meeting that the routes in Udhampur, Anantnag, and Banihal need to be sanitised given the threat that terrorists might try to create sabotage those roads.
More than 50 companies of paramilitary forces including 40 from CRPF have been redeployed in the valley after the recently concluded Assembly elections in several other states. "More troops will be sanctioned to ensure a peaceful Amarnath Yatra scheduled to start from June 30," the official said. The yatra which was halted for the last two years due to the Covid19 pandemic will continue till August 11.
Also read: CRPF ready to tackle 'sticky bomb' challenge ahead of annual Amarnath Yatra
