Security forces have established four base camps and over 100 transit camps for the Amarnath Yatra. These provide pilgrims with accommodation, free food from langars, and security, with movement restricted after set cut-off times for safety.
Four key base camps with over 100 transit camps established by multiple security forces along the Amarnath Yatra route, stretching from Jammu to the twin routes leading to the cave shrine via Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district in the Union Territory.
These camps are designed to provide pilgrims with accommodation, food and essential facilities during their journey, along with a safe and secure environment under the strict vigilance of CRPF, Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other sister security agencies.
Focus on Meer Bazar Transit Camp
One of the major transit camps linked to the Amarnath Yatra is placed under the 46 Battalion of CRPF in the Meer Bazar area of Kulgam district. The camp can accommodate nearly 3,000 pilgrims at a time.
As per the security plan, the pilgrims will be stopped in these camps at the cut-off times set for the movement of Yatra. Normal cut-off time for yatra is around 3 pm to 4 pm, depending on the distance and area on the Amarnath Yatra route.
Community Kitchens and Volunteer Services
To ensure that pilgrims receive adequate food during their stay, three community kitchens (langars) have been set up at the Meer Bazar transit camp by voluntary organisations and devotees from Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana.
The langars provide breakfast, lunch and dinner free of cost to pilgrims and security personnel. Organisers of the langars said each kitchen has the capacity to serve food to around 4,000 to 5,000 people daily, ensuring uninterrupted meal services during the pilgrimage season.
Volunteers have made extensive arrangements for preparing fresh meals and maintaining hygiene standards.
Comprehensive Security and Logistics
Officials said the Meer Bazar camp forms part of a wider logistical network established for the annual pilgrimage. Nearly 130 langars have reportedly been set up along the entire Yatra route, beginning from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu and extending to the holy cave shrine through both the traditional Pahalgam route and the shorter Baltal route.
Apart from food and accommodation, the camps have been equipped with medical assistance, sanitation facilities and security arrangements to facilitate a smooth pilgrimage.
Speaking to ANI, Langar owner Manoj Sharma said, “We have a total of three langars here. One is from Ballabhgarh, Faridabad (Haryana), the second is from Jalalabad (Punjab), and one is from Rudrapur (Uttarakhand). From Jammu to the cave of Baba Barfani, around 130 langars are provided, which together make the yatra successful. We can feed at least 5,000 to 6,000 pilgrims per day for two months. This is our capacity,” he said.
He further said the langar has been serving pilgrims for the past 15 years and would continue throughout the duration of the pilgrimage. “It has been 14 years; this is the 15th year of serving Bhole Baba and his devotees. We provide meals three times a day–breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon and dinner in the evening. This year the yatra is for two months, and we reached 12 days earlier, so our service will continue for about two and a half months,” Sharma added.
Meanwhile, Security forces remain on high alert across the Yatra route, with extensive deployment and regular area domination exercises being carried out to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
With the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra set to commence on July 3, security forces and civil authorities have completed elaborate preparations to ensure a safe and comfortable pilgrimage for thousands of devotees travelling to the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir.
CRPF Confirms Robust Arrangements
Assistant Commandant Tilak Raj of the CRPF’s 46 Battalion said the Meer Bazar transit camp has been equipped with accommodation, security and other essential facilities for pilgrims halted during the Yatra’s cut-off timings.
“When it’s cut-off time during the yatra, the pilgrims are given accommodation and security in this camp so that they can complete their yatra successfully. Jammu and Kashmir Police, CAPFs and the state administration have made all arrangements for security, accommodation, health care and other facilities,” Tilak Raj told ANI.
He said the transit camp has the capacity to accommodate up to 3,000 pilgrims at a time and has three langars operating within its premises.
“Arrangements have been made for the stay of about 2,500 to 3,000 pilgrims. Three langars have been set up here by organisations from Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand. The cut-off time is maintained because of the threat of terrorist attacks in the evening, so the lives of pilgrims cannot be put at risk. After the cut-off time, pilgrims are not allowed to move further. They resume their journey the next morning once security arrangements are ensured,” he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)