Centre has sanctioned 50 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) for the security of the Amarnath yatra starting June 30.
On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a high-level meeting to review the security preparedness of the Amarnath Yatra. The pilgrimage will take place after a gap of two years.
The meeting was held days after Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla convened a similar meeting to review the security preparedness of the annual pilgrimage. Bhalla has so far held two similar meetings on May 13 and April 15.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Chief Arvind Kumar, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Kuldiep Singh, Director General of Police Jammu and Kashmir Dilbag Singh, Director General of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) Lieutenant General Rajeev Chaudhary among other officers from Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) participated in the meeting.
Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board members also participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Resuming the Amarnath pilgrimage is a challenging task as Jammu and Kashmir have witnessed several incidences of targeted killings in the last few months by terrorists. Ministry of Home Affairs has asked security agencies to enhance counter-terror operations.
Online registration for Amarnath Yatra 2022 started on April 11. Home Ministry has already sanctioned nearly 50 companies of CAPF for the purpose to provide security.
While online registration has already begun, the pilgrimage is scheduled to be held for 43 days between June 30 and August 11.
The Amarnath shrine pilgrimage to the 3,880 meter-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, is held from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal.
The administration had canceled the Amarnath pilgrimage due to the Covid-19 situation in 2020 and 2021.
