The annual Amarnath Yatra was suspended from Jammu on Wednesday as authorities beefed up security measures across Jammu and Kashmir on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to leave the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the twin Amarnath Yatra base camps at Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. Although the administration did not give a public reason why it canceled the movement of pilgrims for the day, officials said that it was done as a precautionary measure in view of the security situation at the moment.
The suspension came at the time of increasing security arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir on the anniversary of the constitutional changes on 5th of August 2019. The Centre abolished Article 370, which had granted special status to the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The former state was then organized into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The security agencies were on high alert and had to be on top of high alert as they did not want any violence in the vicinity, and the police were on the watch-list to keep law and order in place and prevent any untoward incidents. The suspension of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from Jammu was reported to have been taken as part of overall precautionary measures.
Official sources said the movement of security convoys on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was also suspended. The strategic highway is the primary all-weather road connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of the country and is crucial for the movement of civilians, security personnel and essential supplies.
The temporary suspension of security convoys is generally considered a precautionary measure, as security agencies would like to reduce traffic on the sensitive route or to control traffic in the vicinity. The decision also underscored the enhanced security on the anniversary of the abrogation of this article.
Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu is a key transit point for the pilgrims on the annual Amarnath Yatra. From Jammu, pilgrims travel to the Kashmir Valley before going to the two main routes leading to the holy cave shrine - Pahalgam in Anantnag district and the Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
The Amarnath Yatra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimages in India. Millions of people go to the Amarnath cave shrine in the Himalayas to pray at the naturally formed ice Shivling. A great deal of security is provided for the pilgrimage because of the mountainous terrain, the weather, and the security of the area where it takes place in the region, and there is an acute sensitivity and security in the area.
The movement of pilgrims is reviewed regularly based on weather forecasts, road conditions, security assessments and other operational requirements. A temporary suspension can be removed once the situation is monitored and the entities concerned are able to determine if travel can resume safely.
But the suspension from the Jammu base camp does not necessarily mean the annual pilgrimage has been canceled. It is a temporary measure affecting the departure of fresh batches from Bhagwati Nagar as authorities continue to monitor the situation and coordinate security arrangements.
The suspension was in view of the seventh anniversary of Article 370 being abolished. With security forces on high alert in Jammu and Kashmir, the government should give more updates on the movement of pilgrims and the resumption of fresh batches from Jammu.
