First batch of Yatris in Kashmir amid unprecedented security

First batch of Yatris in Kashmir amid unprecedented security

ANANTNAG: After a midway suspension in 2019, and a pandemic enforced two-year halt, the annual Amarnath Yatra is all set to commence Thursday as the first batch of Yatris reached Nunwan base camp, here in Pahalgam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, on Wednesday amid unprecedented security measures.
Another batch of Yatris has reached the Yatri Niwas in Panthachowk area of Srinagar and will proceed towards the Amarnath cave through Baltal early Thursday morning.
The pilgrims, 4890 of them, were flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha from Jammu base camp in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. “176 vehicles carrying the pilgrims were flagged off towards the Kashmir valley,” a government spokesperson said.
By early afternoon, the pilgrims had reached the Mirbazar camp along NH-44, located in Kulgam district of south Kashmir. “From there the pilgrims were redirected towards Srinagar and Pahalgam according to the route they have chosen,” the spokesperson said.
Unprecedented security measures have been put into place for the 40-day Yatra, as 8 lakh pilgrims are expected to undertake the annual pilgrimage. Additional forces have been brought in and about 400 new bunkers have been erected along the roads on the routes.
“Most of these bunkers have come up along the NH-44 and the Khannabal-Pahalgam road in Anantnag,” a police source told Kashmir Reader. “Every opening towards the KP road has been plugged in with a bunker,” he said.
Moreover, mobile bunkers and armed men have been deployed in full strength amid the threat of attack by militants. “RFIDs have been issued and we can track the movement of the Yatris in real-time,” the police source said.
On the first day of the Yatra movement, the authorities put the local traffic on halt and only cavalcades of pilgrim vehicles were allowed, local sources in Anantnag and elsewhere told Kashmir Reader.
“Not even pedestrians were allowed to move anywhere close to the cavalcades,” the sources said. “Along KP road in Anantnag town, not even a single vehicle was allowed to park along the road, before and after the Yatra movement.”
The shopkeepers along the road rued that they would suffer heavy losses if the entire Yatra is conducted in this way. “They are not even allowing pedestrians to stop anywhere, leave alone people driving cars. We will be left without business if things continue like this,” some shopkeepers told Kashmir Reader.
Rumours were also rife over social media about the closure of schools and shops in Anantnag by 2:00 PM during the yatra. Anantnag Deputy Commissioner Piyush Singhla, however, issued a clarification that no such guidelines have been issued.
“Strict action will be taken against rumour mongers,” Singla said.
In Panthachowk area as well, there were reports that shopkeepers were forced to close down their shops. Shopkeepers in the area also held a protest demonstration against the diktat.
Police clarified that only a dozen scrap and mechanical shops were asked to close till they get their “verification” done. “Instead, they held a protest under the influence of some vested interests,” a news agency quoted a police official as saying.
The “plight” of the locals could not dampen the spirits of the Yatris, who expressed their happiness on arrangements made by the administration as they reached Pahalgam.
“This is for the first time we have been greeted with bouquets of flowers upon arrival for the Yatra,” a Yatri said. “We want to thank the administration and the people of Kashmir for making this special for us.”
Meanwhile, frisking of vehicles and area dominations by the government forces have been intensified in most parts of south Kashmir region. Vehicles are being checked not only along the main roads but in the interiors of the districts as well.

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