Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo chaired the 14th High Level Committee meeting for the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), directing all relevant departments to finalize arrangements for the annual pilgrimage well in advance. Senior civil administration and security officials were present.
Dulloo emphasized the need for swift action, instructing departments like PWD, PDD, Jal Shakti, RDD, H&UDD, BRO, and Telecommunications to complete tendering and contracting processes within the next month, including necessary procurements to avoid last-minute delays. He specifically tasked the Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag and Ganderbal with identifying disaster-prone areas along both routes, prohibiting the placement of tents and other utilities in those zones. The DMRR&R department was directed to collaborate with the district administrations to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for pilgrim safety.
The Chief Secretary instructed the Deputy Commissioners to facilitate service providers, ensuring adequate and appropriate facilities for both pilgrims and support staff at each location. He advised coordinated work and efficient use of the available time window to have everything ready by June. He questioned each department and Deputy Commissioner about their respective roles and responsibilities, mandating the designation of a nodal officer in each department to oversee the finalization of arrangements.
Budgetary requirements for all departments were reviewed, and Dulloo urged PDD to complete the undergrounding of HT/LT lines and Jal Shakti Department to finalize the anti-freezing pipeline system. He stressed the importance of a well-defined traffic plan to prevent congestion and ensure smooth commutes. The Police Department was directed to deploy sufficient personnel to facilitate the yatra.
Discussions also covered the deployment of adequate healthcare personnel by the Health Department to staff base hospitals and other en route facilities. The department was instructed to begin the process of recruiting external manpower as per established practice. The meeting emphasized the requirement for all pilgrims to be registered with RFID tags and valid health certificates. The IMD was asked to provide daily weather updates to registered pilgrims.
Sanitation was a key concern, with RDD and H&UDD instructed to ensure an adequate number of toilets and baths along the route, along with uninterrupted water supply and necessary equipment. They were also tasked with installing dustbins and deploying cleaning personnel across transit camps, holding areas, and the pilgrimage track.
Departments like FCS&CA, Transport, Information, IT, Forest, and BSNL were directed to carry out their usual tasks, enhancing capacity and implementing backup plans as needed. Dulloo stressed their crucial role in the successful conduct of the yatra.
He further directed the installation of lights, water tanks, toilets, backup generators, a Public Address System, and communication towers at each camp location before the yatra begins.
SASB CEO Dr. Mandeep Kumar Bhandari briefed the meeting on past arrangements and potential improvements, detailing work completed after the 2024 yatra. He highlighted planned upgrades to the yatra tracks by BRO, along with efforts to ensure reliable power and water supply. Bhandari also outlined disaster mitigation measures, the prepaid hiring system, camp holding capacity, labor and pony registration, and other essential requirements.
The divisional administrations assured the committee of comprehensive arrangements, including power and water supply, health facilities, toilets and baths, telephone connectivity, ration provisions, firefighting equipment, firewood, shelter sheds, helipads, mobile connectivity, langars, tents, and SDRF/NDRF personnel deployment at designated locations. They confirmed their commitment to providing all necessary facilities and adhering to the meeting’s directives.
