Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 28 The annual Amarnath yatra is set to begin from Monday as all arrangements, including security along the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam, for smooth conduct of the pilgrimage have been put in place, officials said Friday. The 40-day yatra to the cave shrine at an altitude of 3,880 metre in the south Kashmir Himalayas will commence from both the routes, they said. Largely all arrangements have been put in place just some final touches are being given, they said. The Army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been tasked with providing security to the pilgrims and a multi-tier security arrangement has been planned for the yatra, they said. The security forces have begun sanitizing the yatra routes, they said, adding they have been asked to ensure optimum use of latest technologies and gadgets for securing the yatra. The officials said that forces are not taking any chances especially in the wake of February 14 Pulwama suicide attack which left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday warned officials against any complacency in the security arrangements for the yatra and directed them to strictly implement the standard operating procedures for the pilgrimage. During his two-day visit to the state, Shah underlined the importance of the standard operating procedure for convoy movement and specifically stressed on timely dispatch of convoys.
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