Multi-agency mock drill held in Jammu ahead of Amarnath Yatra starting July 3

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Jammu, June 23

Security and disaster response agencies on Tuesday conducted a multi-agency mock drill at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu to assess preparedness and strengthen coordination ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, officials said.

The 57-day pilgrimage is scheduled to begin on July 3, with the first batch of pilgrims set to leave from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp a day before the commencement of the yatra.

The exercise involved personnel from the National Security Guard (NSG), the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Officials said the drill simulated multiple emergency situations to evaluate response capabilities and coordination among the various agencies involved in the security and management of the pilgrimage.

Advanced surveillance equipment, including drones, was deployed during the exercise, while dog squads carried out anti-sabotage checks and area sanitization operations, officials said.

The Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas serves as the main base camp for pilgrims arriving from across the country before travelling to Kashmir to visit the holy shrine located at an altitude of 3,880 meters, where the naturally formed ice Shiva lingam is situated.

Officials said the mock drill focused on crowd management, emergency evacuation procedures, inter-agency coordination, and counter-terror response measures to ensure a safe and smooth pilgrimage.

The annual Amarnath Yatra is conducted through two routes, including the traditional 48-kilometer Pahalgam route in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-kilometer Baltal route in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.