HM Shah Reviews Preparations As Amarnath Yatra Set To Resume

| Updated: 17 May, 2022 7:03 pm IST

 

NEW DELHI: Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with top officials and reviewed preparations for the Amarnath Yatra 2022. The annual pilgrimage is slated to start on June 30 and will culminate on August 11 of the current year.

Amarnath Yatra will commence after a gap of two years following the pandemic.

Earlier on Monday, a police team consisting of the senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Police visited the holy cave to check the prevailing security arrangements. The police team also reviewed the traffic arrangements to facilitate the convoys of the pilgrims and also earmark parking slots for vehicles carrying them.

Security agencies have intelligence intercepts emanating from across the border that suggest certain terror groups will try to disrupt Amarnath Yatra.

Agencies have identified vulnerable points and additional security arrangements will be in place to prevent any attempt to target the Yatra, highly placed sources told The New Indian.

Shah held a marathon meeting regarding security and essential facilities for the pilgrims. He spoke to officials at length and reportedly asked them to ensure the safety and security of each and every pilgrim visiting the Holy Cave.

“It is the priority of the Modi Government that the pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra should have hassle free Darshan and they should not face any problems. Shah directed that all arrangements should be in place, including essential facilities for movement, lodging, electricity, water, communication and health of the Amarnath pilgrims.

The Home Minister said that this is the first Yatra after the COVID-19 pandemic and in case yatris suffer any kind of health-related problems due to the high altitude, adequate arrangements will have to be made”, said an official who was part of the meeting.

Shah also directed the officials of the Jammu and Kashmir administration Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to ensure that the number of mobile towers should be increased on the Yatra route for better communication and dissemination of information, he also instructed the deployment of equipment to open the route immediately in case of landslides.

“It should be ensured that there should be an adequate number of oxygen cylinders, an adequate number of medical beds at altitudes above 6,000 feet and deployment of ambulances and helicopters to deal with any emergency medical situations. All types of transport services should be increased during the Amarnath Yatra for the convenience of yatris,” Shah told the officials.

The meeting was held in the backdrop of the recent terror attack on a bus carrying passengers to Vaishno Devi and the killing of Rahul Bhat, a displaced Kashmiri Pandit who was employed under the Prime Minister’s Employment Package.

The current ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir was discussed at length during the meeting attended by Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor (NSA), Manoj Sinha the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Secretary, Director Intelligence Bureau and Chief Secretary Jammu and Kashmir.

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