Punjab Police review arrangements for Amarnath Yatra

Chandigarh, June 25 (IANS) To ensure safe and smooth conduct of Shri Amarnath Yatra, Punjab Police on Wednesday said it have implemented a comprehensive, multi-layered, and inter-agency security and coordination plan, deploying advanced surveillance, strategic force deployment, and round-the-clock coordination for the safety of pilgrims.

Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla said a review meeting was held in Pathankot with focus on strategic preparations for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, encompassing diverse aspects such as police deployment, security measures, traffic management, and disaster management.

He emphasised the need for heightened vigilance given Pathankot’s strategic location, which shares 26.38 km of international border with Pakistan and houses critical defence installations.

The Amarnath Yatra will commence on July 3 and will continue till August 9.

The annual pilgrimage draws lakhs of devotees, many of whom travel through Punjab, particularly Pathankot district, on their way to the holy cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Special DGP was chairing the high-level comprehensive security and coordination meeting of the police, the Indian Army, the civil administration, and other security agencies to review and strengthen the security arrangements.

He said the level of security has been further escalated with commandant-level officer has been made in-charge of all roads leading to Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the yatra route has been divided into well-defined security sectors under the charge of Commandant-rank officers, ensuring round-the-clock ground-level supervision and rapid response capabilities in case of any exigency.

A 24x7 Command and Control Centre has been established in Madhopur, supervised by a gazetted officer, to monitor all vehicle and pilgrim movements using advanced surveillance systems, he added.

The Special DGP said daily anti-sabotage and security checks are being carried out at sensitive locations including railway stations, bus stands, langar (community kitchen) sites, religious places, and across the full yatra route, to detect and deter any potential threats.

--IANS

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