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J&K: Centre gears up for Amarnath Yatra, starts deploying paramilitary forces
Fresh convoys of Central Armed Police Forces personnel in private trucks and buses reached Jammu on Tuesday
Amid the spike in selective killings, the BJP government at the Centre has started deploying paramilitary forces for the ensuing 43-day-long Amarnath Yatra beginning June 30.
Fresh convoys of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel in private trucks and buses reached Jammu on Tuesday.
“Given the spike in killings and threats issued by terror outfits, the deployment for this year’s Amarnath Yatra has been doubled. Since the pilgrimage has to start from June 30, the convoys of security forces have started arriving in Jammu. They are being deployed on Jammu-Srinagar national highway and from Srinagar to Pahalgam and on the Baltal axis,” said a top police officer.
“The deployment of around 15,000 additional security forces personnel has started and another 400 companies of the central armed police forces are also going to be pressed into service for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra,” said home department officials.
Several trucks and buses carrying security personnel and equipment were seen dotting the Banihal Cart Road in Jammu on Tuesday.
Inspector general of BSF, Kashmir zone, on Tuesday also visited Baltal and Sonmarg to review security arrangements ahead of the upcoming yatra.
Later, he interacted with police officers and had a detailed meeting regarding proposed sites where the BSF companies will be accommodated in Baltal and Sonmarg.
This year, the board has also decided to put in place a daily route-wise pilgrim ceiling at 10,000, excluding yatris who would travel by helicopters.
On May 17, Union home minister Amit Shah had reviewed preparations for the yatra and said that “it was the priority of the Modi Government that the pilgrims have hassle-free darshan and they do not face any problems”.
