JAMMU, Jun 23: Security and disaster management agencies on Tuesday carried out a comprehensive mock drill at the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu to assess preparedness for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3.
The large-scale exercise brought together personnel from the National Security Guard (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police. The drill was designed to evaluate coordination among agencies and ensure readiness to tackle any emergency during the annual pilgrimage.
Officials said the operation commenced in the morning at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, the primary transit facility for pilgrims arriving from different parts of the country before proceeding to the holy cave shrine in Kashmir.
The simulated exercise recreated a range of emergency situations, enabling participating agencies to test their response capabilities under challenging conditions. Security personnel carried out coordinated operations involving crowd regulation, evacuation procedures, rescue operations and threat-neutralisation measures.
Advanced surveillance systems, including drone-based monitoring, were deployed to strengthen situational awareness and improve real-time assessment of potential risks. Anti-sabotage checks were also conducted with the assistance of trained dog squads, which sanitised key areas within the complex.
According to officials, the objective of the drill was to ensure seamless coordination among security and disaster response agencies while fine-tuning operational strategies ahead of the pilgrimage season. The exercise also focused on strengthening rapid response mechanisms and improving communication channels among participating teams.
The Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas serves as the principal base camp for devotees undertaking the pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine, which houses the naturally formed ice Shivling.
Authorities have intensified security preparations for the 57-day pilgrimage in view of the large influx of devotees expected this year. The first batch of pilgrims will be flagged off from Jammu on July 2 and will proceed towards the Valley through the twin routes — the traditional Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Officials said such preparedness exercises are crucial for ensuring a safe, secure and hassle-free pilgrimage. They added that regular reviews of security arrangements and emergency response systems are being conducted to maintain a high level of readiness throughout the yatra period.
The successful completion of the mock drill underscored the commitment of security and civil agencies to safeguarding pilgrims and ensuring smooth conduct of one of the country’s most significant religious pilgrimages.