Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, June 12

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday directed security agencies to establish an integrated and multi-layered security grid for the annual Amarnath Yatra, with extensive deployment of surveillance technology, including drones, CCTV cameras and advanced monitoring systems.

Chairing a review meeting in New Delhi, Shah said the government was committed to ensuring the safety of pilgrims undertaking the annual pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir from July 3 to Aug. 28.

He instructed the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and other security agencies to put in place what he described as an impregnable security framework along the pilgrimage routes.

Shah said traditional security measures should be strengthened through the use of modern technology, including drones, CCTV surveillance and advanced monitoring tools, to enhance situational awareness and response capabilities.

He directed that senior officers from the CAPFs and the Jammu and Kashmir Police remain deployed at base camps and other key locations throughout the pilgrimage period to oversee security and logistical arrangements.

The home minister also reviewed preparations related to pilgrim registration, accommodation, healthcare services and disaster management, stressing the need for seamless coordination among agencies involved in the yatra.

Officials informed the meeting that local service providers and animal handlers associated with the pilgrimage would be registered and issued QR code-enabled identity cards.

Health and fitness assessment camps would also be organised for animals engaged in pilgrimage-related activities.

Shah instructed authorities to regulate the movement of pilgrim convoys in accordance with prevailing weather conditions and forecasts.

He also called for enhanced security measures at major tourist destinations across Jammu and Kashmir frequented by pilgrims.

The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, senior CAPF officials, and representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Indian Army, and the Jammu and Kashmir administration.