MHA Top Officials To Review Amarnath Yatra Security During J&K Visit

Srinagar: A high-level delegation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), led by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan and comprising chiefs and senior officers of major Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and intelligence agencies, is expected to visit Jammu and Kashmir on June 20 and 21 for an on-ground review of security and logistical preparedness for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.

The 57-day pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas is scheduled to begin on July 3 and conclude on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. The visit comes at a time when preparations have entered their final phase across both Jammu and Kashmir Valley divisions.

Official sources said the MHA team will include senior representatives from the CRPF, BSF, SSB, Intelligence Bureau and other key wings of the MHA. Separate review meetings are likely to be held in Jammu on June 20 and in Srinagar on June 21.

Top officials from the civil administration, J&K Police, paramilitary forces, intelligence agencies, divisional administrations and other departments associated with the Yatra arrangements are expected to participate in the meetings.

The delegation will review the multi-layered security grid from Lakhanpur, the gateway to J&K from Punjab, up to the holy cave shrine, with particular focus on the Pathankot-Jammu and Jammu-Srinagar National Highways, railway stations, airports, bus terminals, base camps, halting points and pilgrim accommodation facilities.

The on-spot review follows a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on June 12, where the overall preparedness for the pilgrimage was assessed in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and senior officers from security and intelligence agencies.

Sources said nearly 90 percent of the required security deployment has already been completed, while the remaining contingents are expected to be positioned before June 20. The MHA has approved the deployment of 670 companies of paramilitary forces for the pilgrimage, with a major share being deployed in Kashmir division.

Security arrangements are being put in place along both recognised pilgrimage routes- the traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The holy cave shrine, situated at an altitude of around 3,888 metres, draws lakhs of devotees every year for darshan of the naturally formed ice lingam.

In Jammu, security cover will begin from Lakhanpur and extend to key transit and assembly points, including the Pathankot-Jammu highway, Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, railway stations, airports, bus stands and Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, from where pilgrims leave in escorted convoys.

In the Kashmir Valley, elaborate security and logistical arrangements are being finalised at the Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camps, along the two tracks, at intermediate halting points, around the cave shrine and at all designated locations connected with the stay, movement and regulation of pilgrims.

Officials said special attention will be paid to convoy protection, route domination, surveillance, access control, anti-sabotage checks, intelligence coordination, emergency response, weather-related contingency planning and the security of vital installations and public movement corridors.

Apart from security, the visiting delegation is also expected to review accommodation, transportation, healthcare, sanitation, drinking water, electricity, communication networks, langar facilities, disaster response systems and arrangements for service providers associated with the pilgrimage.

Authorities are expecting a significant turnout this year due to the longer 57-day pilgrimage period, rising registrations and the continuing inflow of tourists into J&K. The administration has accordingly been working to strengthen facilities for pilgrims at base camps, transit locations and along the Yatra routes.

The review is also likely to assess coordination among the civil administration, police, Army, CAPFs, intelligence agencies, health department, disaster response units, traffic authorities and the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) officials to ensure smooth movement and quick response to any emergency.

Officials said the focus will be on ensuring that security operations remain seamless without affecting ongoing counter-insurgency measures across the Union Territory. Enhanced vigil is expected along highways, railway corridors, camps, parking areas, lodging facilities and sensitive stretches leading to the base camps.

The annual pilgrimage is among the most closely monitored religious events in the country, requiring coordination across multiple agencies because of the challenging terrain, unpredictable weather, large pilgrim movement and security sensitivities in the scenic Himalayan region.

With the Yatra now less than three weeks away, the MHA delegation’s visit is expected to provide a final push to preparations and help plug any gaps before pilgrims begin arriving in large numbers for the sacred journey to the cave shrine.