Amid foolproof security J&K L-G flags off first batch of Amarnath pilgrims

Amid foolproof security arrangements, the 43-day annual Amarnath pilgrimage is set to begin simultaneously on Pahalgam and Baltal routes in Kashmir from June 30.

However, the first batch of pilgrims was flagged off by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday morning from Bhagwati Nagar camp in Jammu for the base camps in Kashmir from where they will proceed for their onward journey to the cave shrine. The first batch will reach the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Sonamarg by this evening.

Amid chants of 'Bam Bam Bhole", the devotees left Jammu for the pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas which would officially begin on Thursday.

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“Flagged off the first batch of pilgrims, as they set off to Shri Amarnath Ji Cave Shrine from Jammu base camp. Prayed for the peace, prosperity and a safe spiritual journey for pilgrims,” the Office of LG J&K tweeted while sharing the pictures of the flag-off ceremony.

With intelligence inputs of a possible attack on the pilgrims, three-tier security has been put in place for the entire yatra route, including the mountains in the south and central Kashmir.

“The primary focus will remain on highways -- Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Ganderbal -- to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles ferrying pilgrims. The pilgrim vehicles are fitted with radio frequency identification (RIFD) chips that will remain under the radars connected with respective control rooms,” a senior police officer told DH.

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He said no vehicle carrying pilgrims will be allowed to cross a particular point after cut-off timing and non-HSRP vehicles are barred from carrying pilgrims. "In the past, we have seen many vehicles with tampered number plates used in terror-related crimes. To check this, pilgrims are advised to travel only in HSRP fixed number plate vehicles,” the officer added.

This year, the threat of sticky bombs and drone attacks are some of the new challenges for security forces. Pertinently, the number of security personnel deployed for pilgrimage this year is four times more than the previous years.

The annual yatra was cancelled in 2020 as well as 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019 it was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

This time, a record number of six to eight lakh pilgrims are expected to pay obeisance at the cave shrine.