The 32-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas will commence on July 3 from the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter 14-km Baltal track in Ganderbal.

The first batch of pilgrims will depart from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp and Ram Mandir in Jammu on July 2.

As part of the ongoing preparations, the IGP conducted an inspection in Ramban district, a key transit point on the Yatra route, to assess security readiness, civil infrastructure and inter-agency coordination.

He reviewed facilities at the Lambar Ground, including tent accommodation, drinking water, sanitation, and power backup arrangements.

Tuti stressed the need for joint drills, intelligence-based planning and public-friendly policing to instil confidence among pilgrims.

He directed officers to plug any security gaps through timely inspections and enhanced coordination, and to ensure continuous monitoring and responsiveness during the pilgrimage.

A comprehensive meeting chaired by the IGP discussed deployment patterns, convoy regulation, medical emergencies, disaster response, surveillance systems, communication networks and traffic management, especially in high-risk and landslide-prone areas.

Tuti also inspected ongoing construction and repair works along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and reviewed the convoy movement plans.

Separately, DIG Sharma visited lodgement centres and langar sites in Jammu, Samba and Kathua, and stressed the implementation of Operation Third Eye in coordination with other agencies to ensure foolproof security.

He directed intensified checking of vehicles, especially during early morning and late-night hours, and thorough verification of vendors to prevent any untoward incident.

The officers were asked to conduct mock drills, review plans regularly and maintain round-the-clock alertness throughout the Yatra period. PTI AB OZ OZ