Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 10

Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) G P Singh on Wednesday reviewed security arrangements for the upcoming Shri Amarnath Yatra during the first day of a three-day visit to Kashmir, officials said.

The annual pilgrimage is scheduled to commence on July 3 and conclude on August 28.

Singh chaired a high-level meeting in Srinagar with senior CRPF officers and unit commanders to assess security preparedness and review measures aimed at ensuring a safe and incident-free pilgrimage.

Officials said discussions focused on strengthening the security grid across Kashmir, enhancing coordination among agencies and maintaining a secure environment for the large number of pilgrims expected to undertake the annual journey to the cave shrine.

Senior commanders were directed to intensify counter-terrorism operations, particularly in higher reaches overlooking the traditional Pahalgam and Baltal pilgrimage routes, while maintaining heightened surveillance in vulnerable areas and the plains, officials said.

The measures are aimed at preventing militant threats and ensuring uninterrupted movement of pilgrims along the yatra routes.

As part of his visit, Singh inspected the headquarters of the 118 Battalion at Gund in Ganderbal district, where he reviewed operational infrastructure and interacted with personnel deployed in the area.

He was briefed on the security situation and operational responsibilities in the unit’s area of deployment and held discussions with senior officers on security planning, force deployment and preparedness for the pilgrimage.

Officials said the CRPF will deploy 128 companies, including five women contingents, for duties related to crowd management, route sanitisation, convoy security and area domination operations during the pilgrimage.

The force will work in coordination with the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army, Border Security Force and other security agencies as part of a multi-layered security framework.

Security arrangements will include enhanced surveillance, multiple checkpoints and rapid-response mechanisms to address potential threats, officials said.

The Amarnath Yatra attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across India each year and is among the largest annual religious pilgrimages in the country.

Officials said Singh’s visit would include further reviews of security deployments, transit camps and coordination mechanisms along the pilgrimage routes in the coming days.