Jammu, June 29: Nineteen thousand additional troops of para-military forces will be deployed for safety and security of Amarnath pilgrims in Jammu, the base camp of annual holy cave shrine pilgrimage which is commencing on July 12, official sources said today. A high level official meeting, headed by Union Minister of State for Home Harin Pathak here said a multi-tier and fool-proof security would also be deployed around the places of stay and en-route Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to rising threat of terrorist attack following the one at Sunjiwan Army Cantonment yesterday, said the sources. Nineteen battalions of 19,000 troops of Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Special Service Bureau, Indo-Tibetan Border Police will be deployed at 26 different lodging places and security en-route, the sources said and added Inspector General of Police have already requisitioned them from the Union home ministry.
Besides this, other arrangements reviewed by Pathak included places of stay, power supply, drinking water transportation, lungers and traffic management, they said. Pathak, who arrived here this morning along with additional and joint secretaries of Union home ministry, also visited venues of the stay and departure of pilgrims.
A total of 98,000 pilgrims have registered themselves so far for this year's Amarnath yatra. Last year, 1.16 lakh tourists had visited the cave shrine, the sources said. Bureau Report