Srinagar: With Jammu and Kashmir eying on the historic Amarnath pilgrimage this year, additional companies of security forces have started to arrive in Kashmir who would be deployed for the smooth conduct of pilgrimage this year.
Officials told KNO that every day at least four companies of additional security forces are arriving in Kashmir who are going to be deployed along the highways, at base camps, vulnerable points and also at en-route cave shrine of Amarnath in Pahalgam in Ananatnag and Baltal, Sonmarg in Ganderbal districts.
“The process of bringing additional security forces to Kashmir for smooth conduct of pilgrimage has started. Each day, on an average, four additional companies arrive in Kashmir. The companies are of CRPF, ITBP, BSF and Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB),” an official privy to the development said.
He said that the process will continue till May end and will be deployed accordingly.
As part of the security plan, the pilgrims will be travelling in vehicles having RIFD chips that will help police to track their movement. A cut-off timing will soon be released for the vehicles ferrying pilgrims so that they remain under the radar of security agencies, the sources said.
Pertinently, J&K government is expecting a historic Yatra this year with a record number of pilgrims expected to perform the darshan of the ice-lingum of Lord Shiva. Government is expecting six to eight lakh yatris this year. The hoteliers have already started drawing a map to accommodate pilgrims. (KNO)
