Make elaborate security arrangements for Amarnath yatra: DGP to officers

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbag Singh on Thursday asked officers to make elaborate security arrangements to ensure secure and peaceful conduct of Amarnath yatra this year.

Director General of Police J&K Dilbag Singh said this while chairing a meeting to review preparedness of security arrangements and deployment of personnel for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra- 2023 (SANJY).

Amarnath Yatra, an annual pilgrimage, will begin on July 1 and end on August 31 this year. The 62 days yatra would commence simultaneously for both the routes- the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and Baltal in the Ganderbal district.

Speaking on the occasion, the DGP at the very outset complimented JK Police and other security forces for ensuring foolproof security arrangement of the G20 meet, a biggest international event held in Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

He directed for elaborate security arrangements to ensure secure and peaceful conduct of Amarnath yatra as was done last year.

The DGP said that all the arrangements for the deployment and distribution of manpower need to be synchronized at different levels for the conduct of the yatra, the spokesman said.

Singh said that adequate and effective deployments should be made on ground to address any vulnerability and to gaps if any. He directed the officers to fine tune these at sectoral level to augment an adequate response to any exigency.

The DGP emphasized for focus on ROPs (Road Opening Parties), lateral deployment, QRTs (Quick Reaction Teams), bomb disposal squad and added that adequate manpower has to be deployed to accomplish the task. He directed for placing additional Naka points at sensitive places.

The DGP stressed upon the officers present in the meeting to maintain close coordination with their ranks and other security agencies to achieve better results and called for an effective mechanism and planning for smooth and peaceful conduct of the yatra.

Singh emphasised upon officers for special focus on sensitive locations and base camps while putting in place the security arrangements. He directed for making use of modern tools like CCTV Cameras, drones to monitor the security situation during the Yatra.

He said that adequate arrangements with regard to disaster management should be made to tackle any natural calamity.

The police chief directed for the workout of security preparedness en-route national highway in the districts. He emphasized that local & highway security grids need to be kept fully geared up at all levels. He also discussed traffic management on the National Highway.

DGP said that internet network facilities has been elaborately done on most of the areas enroute yatra and directed that Police Control Rooms should be highly technically equipped.

He directed for publicity of the helpline numbers/assistance booths of J&K so that yatris could identify them easily if encountering any issue or problem .He directed for providing best possible boarding, lodging and other facilities for the jawans and officers deployed during the yatra.

During the meeting various matters related to acquisition of land for executing new projects of infrastructural development and implementation of various welfare measures in letter and spirit for the police personnel/SPO were discussed threadbare.

UNI