Amarnath Yatra 2023: Snipper, drones to be deployed to maintain a strict vigil on higher reaches [details]

To foil evil designs of terrorists during this year's upcoming Amarnath Yatra, snipers, and drones will be deployed at different places to a strict vigil during the 62-day pilgrimage of the cave shrine.

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, Northern Army Commander on Monday reviewed the ongoing preparations for the Amarnath Yatra 2023.

The Amarnath Yatra takes place annually via two routes i.e. Southern route through Baltal in Ganderbal and the Northern Route through Pahalgam in the Anantnag district.

The Army Commander inspected the arrangements on both routes where he was briefed on the multi-tiered security arrangements to include night domination through night vision devices, snipers, drone systems, bomb disposal squads, dog squads, counter IED equipment, vehicle repair, and recovery teams to ensure smooth movement of convoys and synergy with the civil agencies being undertaken to make the Yatra incident free. He was also shown the arrangements made by BRO, Indian Air Force, and Teams from High Altitude Warfare School.

Both the tracks are ready for devotees

According to the Army officials, the road stretch to the holy cave shrine is almost clear for the induction of pilgrims. In coordination with civil Administration, NGOs, and other agencies, Army is establishing multiple medical detachments with special arrangements of oxygen cylinders and control rooms at various places along both routes for humanitarian aid that will be operational round the clock. Various civil aviation agencies have been incorporated for providing air travel facilities to the devotees.

Army has established helipads at multiple locations for medical emergencies and to cater for other airlift requirements. Army has also established a number of Yatri camps with adequate tentage facilities along with special winter clothing arrangements to provide habitat and comfort during the holy Yatra.

Special teams are to be developed to avoid the reoccurrence of disaster after the 2022 cloud burst.

Taking a lesson from the experiences of the cloud burst during the Amarnath Yatra 2022, civil rescue teams and avalanche rescue teams will also be deployed enroute systematically to mitigate any kind of disaster.

Earth movers will also be placed at multiple locations enroute for emergencies. A seamless communication network on both routes has also been operationalized. SFF detachments will also be overlooking the security of the people.

An "All Inclusive Approach" has been followed to synergize the efforts with all civil agencies including joint training, joint operation, joint exercises, and mock drills are being conducted to ensure seamless and successful conduct of the Yatra this year.

15 pilgrims were killed and were 55 injured due to a flash flood during the 2022 Amarnath Yatra.
The flash floods triggered by a cloudburst hit the holy cave area of Amarnath Shrine.

For the first time after 1996, Amarnath Yatra was hit by natural calamity in 2022. In 1996, the number of pilgrims visiting Amarnath that year was at an all-time high. Between, August 21 and 25, nearly one lakh Yatris were simultaneously moving either up or down between Jammu and the holy cave.
The administration had not anticipated such a heavy rush of Yatris. Nearly 242 Yatris had lost their lives due to exhaustion, exposure, and freezing in 1996.

LG high-level meeting to review preparedness for Yatra

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting today to take stock of the preparedness of departments and concerned agencies for the Amarnath Yatra.

The Lt Governor took appraisal of the upgradation work of Yatra tracks by BRO; installation of safety railings on all vulnerable stretches; snow clearance; installation of Army Tents and strengthening of Telecommunication connectivity.

The Lt Governor directed the telecom service providers to enhance the network connectivity and increase the bandwidth along the Yatra route.

The Lt Governor also took stock of the works taken up by the Irrigation and Flood Control department.

The Lt Governor directed for higher resource mobilization and increasing the manpower to ensure the completion of all related works well before the commencement of the Yatra.