Keeping in view the spurt in grenade attacks in the Kashmir valley, vehicles of Amarnath pilgrims will be tagged with Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) to enable security forces to have real time information about their movement and location.

This is for the first time that RFID tagging of vehicles of Amarnath pilgrims would be done immediately after they enter the territory of J&K at Lakhanpur from Pathankot area of Punjab.

The annual pilgrimage beginning on 28 June will continue for two months.
This will ensure that help can be extended to vehicles which may get broken down or are otherwise in need of any assistance. About 2 lakh people across the country have so far registered themselves for the pilgrimage.

A meeting to review security of pilgrims and tagging their vehicles with RFID was held at the J&K Zone, CRPF Headquarters, today. Officers of the JKP and CRPF in Jammu Zone were addressed by SP Vaid, DGP, J&K, and VSK Kaumudi, Special DG, CRPF.

RFID tagging was considered necessary because of high threat perception due to spurt in terror activities particularly in South Kashmir that is also the hub of pilgrimage. Moreover, the last year’s incident in which 10 pilgrims were killed in a terror attack on a bus was also being kept in mind.

Ashish Kumar Jha, commandant and spokesman of CRPF, said that the tagging facility shall be made available in a special dedicated lane at Lakhanpur, the entry point from Punjab, for vehicles from other states proceeding on the yatra route. The Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp at Jammu will be another major tagging point for the yatra vehicles.

Tagging will also be done at taxi stands, bus stands, railway station and the Jammu airport.

The Forces shall be undertaking a multipronged approach to sensitise the Yatris as well as tourists on the need to register their vehicles during the period of the yatra, as it will be in public interest.

Governor NN Vohra, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), during review of arrangements for the pilgrimage was informed that 17,208 pilgrims had obtained helicopter tickets in advance till 12 June.

Governor reviewed the to-date position regarding all issues relating to restoration of the tracks on both the routes and installation of safety railings at the various identified vulnerable stretches, particularly the Railpathri-Brarimarg-Kali Mata track. The Governor was informed about the logistical facilities being arranged for the Yatra, particularly those relating to power, water supply and medical facilities in the entire Yatra area.

It was reported that the Army, CRPF and the State Police formations have started reaching the areas of the upper Yatra Camps.

Umang Narula, chief executive officer of SASB, informed that to augment the existing toilets and baths, 529 new toilets (286 Indian and 243 European) and 100 baths for Yatra were being installed. During this year’s Yatra, a total of 2750 toilets and 516 baths shall be installed by the Shrine Board in the Yatra Camps and en-route along with appropriate waste disposal facility for the convenience of the Yatris.

For discouraging the use of plastic bottles in the Yatra area, 52 stainless steel water storage tanks and dispensers are being installed in the Yatra Camps and enroute.