CRPF’s Mountain Rescue Team and J&K Police’s Tech-Driven Security Grid Set to Safeguard Amarnath Yatra

Srinagar: Rescue readiness and technology-driven vigilance are defining the security grid for the Amarnath Yatra 2026, which begins on July 3, as CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police deploy layered measures along the Baltal route to ensure pilgrim safety.

Central Reserve Police Force has prepared a 30-member Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) to provide emergency assistance during the pilgrimage. The team is equipped with oxygen cylinders, stretchers, ropes, medicines for altitude sickness, and drinking water.

“Our personnel will provide immediate medical aid and support to exhausted or injured pilgrims,” said Sudhir Kumar, CRPF DIG and Nodal Officer for the Yatra. Positioned at strategic points, the MRT is expected to play a crucial role in responding to emergencies in the high-altitude terrain.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police Security Wing has intensified its training regimen, conducting regular drills and mock exercises to strengthen preparedness.

Personnel are tasked with safeguarding base camps and vulnerable stretches of the route. The wing has been reinforced with modern arms, advanced detection systems, and surveillance technology to eliminate risks once the Yatra commences.

However, the most striking addition this year is the expanded surveillance network. Thousands of CCTV cameras, many of them solar-powered, are being installed along the pilgrimage route. Security agencies have also received explosive detectors, liquid explosive scanners, and gas detectors, enabling monitoring even in remote areas without electricity.

“We now have gadgets capable of detecting explosives hidden underground or beneath concrete structures. This has significantly widened our operational reach,” a senior JK Police official informed.

Security officials emphasise that annual upgrades in equipment and training have transformed their preparedness.

“The use of advanced gadgets has greatly enhanced our efficiency. Our expanded CCTV network covers locations previously inaccessible. Alongside technology, our training standards have also improved,” he added.

“The combination of rescue readiness and technological vigilance has created a robust safety net. With continuous surveillance, advanced detection systems, and trained personnel across camps and routes, we are confident of delivering a safe and peaceful Amarnath Yatra,” said a senior security official.