Jammu. For the Shri Amarnath Yatra 2021, the state administration will start preparing with the goal of reaching six lakh Shiva devotees in the yatra. For this, in the tenth high level meeting of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board on Sunday, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam issued guidelines to the officials concerned.

During the meeting, the Chief Secretary reviewed the security of the pilgrims especially from the security of the convoy of devotees on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to the Baltal and Chandanbari Yatra routes to the holy cave. He instructed to repair and widen both the Baltal and Pahalgam travel routes and install cement tiles on the route. Instructed to improve the control gates, establish temporary camps, shelter sheds, health camps and other basic and emergency arrangements. Preparations for setting up a joint control room under the suggestion of the National Disaster Management Authority were also discussed.

Instructions were issued for widening the travel routes, installing railings, walling and especially laying cement tiles on the journey route from Baltal to protect the devotees. The Chief Secretary directed the Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir to keep a close watch on the arrangements. Travel camps should also be established, especially in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, Ramban and transit camps in Baltal and Chandanbari.
Work plan for safe return of passengers from Lakhanpur to the holy Amarnath Cave and also on return. Sonamarg and Pahalgam Development Authorities were discussed with the Shrine Board in addition to managing solid and liquid waste in a scientific manner and were also directed to install bio-toilet, dustbin. On this occasion, apart from travel registration, prepaid systems for equestrian service were also reviewed for testing horses for Glanders disease, setting up horse sheds and setting up animal camps.

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