Srinagar/New Delhi, May 29 – In a significant security build-up ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, the Centre has ordered the deployment of 580 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) — amounting to nearly 42,000 personnel — across Jammu and Kashmir.
Out of these, 424 companies are being freshly sent to the Union Territory, while another 80 companies already in the region under Operation Sindoor will be reassigned for yatra-related duties, sources said. The remainder, already stationed in the UT, will also be integrated into the security grid.
The Union Home Ministry has directed these forces to be in position by the second week of June, ahead of the yatra’s commencement on July 3. The pilgrimage will run for 38 days, concluding on August 9.
The stepped-up deployment comes in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, which left 26 people dead — most of them tourists. Security agencies are preparing a robust plan to ensure the safety of pilgrims, the route, and key areas including Srinagar.
The troops are being drawn from five CAPFs — CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, with each company consisting of around 70-75 personnel.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Jammu on Thursday to review the on-ground security arrangements. CRPF Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh has already reviewed yatra preparations in Kashmir, while BSF chief Daljit Singh Chawdhary is also expected to visit soon.
Pilgrims can choose either the traditional 48-km route via Pahalgam (Anantnag) or the steeper 14-km Baltal route (Ganderbal) to reach the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine, famous for its naturally formed ice Shivling.
Officials said multiple-layer security, including aerial surveillance, drones, and RFID-based tracking of pilgrims, will be implemented to ensure a safe yatra.
