Jammu, Jun 25 (KNO): A three-tier security system has been put in place in and around, Yatri Niwas and other base camps in Jammu for Amarnath yatra while a network of high-end CCTV cameras have been installed along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway to monitor both pilgrimage and regular vehicular traffic, officials said on Tuesday.
As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the first beach of Yatra will leave from Jammu on June 28. The 52-day pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, located at a height of 3,880 metres, will commence from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-kilometre shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal — on June 29.
“Adequate security arrangements have been made for the yatra. Three-tier security measures have been put in place for the base camp in the Bhagwati Nagar area in Jammu,” Jammu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dr Vinod Kumar said. The SSP said that lodgment and registration centres in Jammu City are also under strict security. Police have also secured the highway through which the yatra will pass every day.
“Security arrangements and area dominations have been enforced on the highway, and all points from borders have been plugged,” the office said.
“Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) have been activated, high-rise buildings dominated, and the security machinery is in law and order mode. All measures are in place for an incident-free yatra,” he said.
Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu serves as the primary base camp for pilgrims nationwide before they proceed to the cave shrine of Amarnath in the Himalayas of south Kashmir.
The yatra will be carried out on the 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.
As part of the security measures, the security wing has assumed control of the area and barred public access.
“Body scanners and CCTV cameras, including large 360-degree cameras, have been installed to monitor the camp and its surroundings round-the-clock,” officials said.
Several companies of the paramilitary are being deployed for security, they said.
Meanwhile, traffic department has installed 10 360-degree CCTV cameras from Udhampur to Banihal in Ramban district, while the police department has placed 60 cameras along the highway to monitor vehicular movement and identify suspicious individuals
“We have installed 10 high-end CCTV cameras at various key points from Udhampur to Banihal to monitor traffic,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic National Highway, Rohit Baskotra, said. He said these cameras are positioned at locations, including the Jakhani area of Udhampur, Dalwas, Khoni Nallah, Mehar, Battery Cheshma, Nachlana, Banihal Chowk, Tunnel-5, Shaligadi and Cutpoint.
The officer informed that a control room has been established in Ramban to oversee traffic movement around the clock
“The control room monitors the highway 24/7, enhancing our efficiency in managing congestion, traffic jams, and other issues,” the SSP said.
The cameras are strategically placed at points where traffic conditions are particularly problematic and accidents are frequent, he added.
The traffic police have also issued an advisory for drivers on the highway during the Amarnath yatra, emphasising lane driving and warning of heavy fines for traffic violations. Contact numbers for technical support are also provided in case of vehicle breakdowns.
“With the CCTV cameras, if a vehicle breaks down or a traffic jam occurs, it will be visible in the control room, allowing a police team to quickly respond,” Baskotra said.
Special preparations have been made by the traffic police of Ramban and Udhampur to ensure smooth traffic flow on the national highway, a significant challenge during the pilgrimage period, he said—(KNO)