While 424 companies are being sent to the Union Territory (UT), the rest, including about 80 companies that moved to the UT during Operation Sindoor, will be “relocated” to secure the yatra route, the pilgrims and other areas, including Srinagar, they said.
The Union Home Ministry, officials told PTI, has directed that these forces move “immediately” and take position in Jammu and Kashmir by the second week of June.
“The Union Home Ministry has decided to deploy about 580 CAPF companies for the Amarnath Yatra this time. This includes about 150-160 units already present in the UT,” a senior officer said.
The companies are drawn from five CAPFs of CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. Each of these companies have an operational strength of about 70-75 personnel, he said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will also review the security arrangements during his proposed visit to Jammu on Thursday.
CRPF Director General (DG) Gyanendra Pratap Singh had reviewed the preparations for the Amarnath Yatra over the week when he was in Kashmir. BSF DG Daljit Singh Chawdhary, too, is expected to hold a review of border security and the yatra in Srinagar.
Pilgrims can choose between the traditional 48-km route from Pahalgam in the Anantnag district or the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.
