Amarnath Yatra No devotee will be allowed to enter Kmr post 3.30 pm: Police

Pilgrims and tourists have been barred from crossing over to Kashmir from Banihal area of Ramban district after 3.30 pm, the cut-off time, due to security concerns, an officer said on Friday.

The measure has been taken by the police in view of unregistered Amarnath pilgrims travelling in the guise of tourists to the Valley, thereby causing security problems in view of heightened security threats, the officer said.

“Unregistered pilgrims, travelling without RIFD (radio-frequency identification) and devotees travelling in the guise of tourists will not be allowed to move to Kashmir from Navyug tunnel in (Banihal area) after cut-off time of 3.30 pm,” Ramban Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma told reporters here.

For security reasons, vehicles of Amarnath pilgrims and tourists will not be allowed towards Kashmir after 1.30 pm at Chandrakot and after 3.30 pm from Banihal tunnel. However, trucks and other local traffic will ply as usual, she said.

The SP further said the pilgrims, who were stopped at Chandrakot after 1.30 pm, have been accommodated at Yatri Niwas in Chandrakot.

Replying to a question on restrictions for local traffic on the highway during the yatra, Sharma said they local vehicles, including those ferrying school students, employees and patients, are being allowed one by one.
Meanwhile, Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh on Friday reviewed security arrangements of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway and directed the officers to prioritise convenience and safety of the pilgrims during convoy movement.

Singh, who was accompanied by other senior police officers, moved with the yatra convoy from Jammu to Lambar at Banihal in Ramban district, officials said.

The ADGP interacted with pilgrims and representatives from the civil administration at langar locations. They expressed satisfaction at the security arrangements and with the facilities, they said.

The district police chiefs of Jammu, Udhampur and Ramban also accompanied Singh and briefed him about the road opening parties and security arrangements, they said.

The langar locations at Nashri, Chanderkot and Lambar had a festive look and the yatris were happy, the officials said.

Vehicular traffic was smooth and care was taken by to regulate the yatra movement to ensure that no inconvenience was caused to daily commuters on the highway, they said.

The CRPF troops were alert and were working under close supervision of the officers, they added.