Srinagar: The Indian Army has said it has taken all steps to ensure the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir.
The 56-day annual pilgrimage has been scheduled to begin on June 28.
Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) had on April 22 'temporarily' suspended the registration for the pilgrimage. Earlier, the board had started registration of pilgrims on the Baltal and the Pahalgam routes.
"We are from our side prepared for Amarnath Yatra and have taken all the necessary steps for the smooth conduct of Yatra. Of course, the decision to conduct Yatra or not lies with the civil administration," Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane said.
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The Army Chief was on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. During the visit, he interacted with local Army commanders and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and Kashmir's hinterland has greatly improved. The local youth should avoid the path of violence as it will not take them anywhere," Naravane told a group of select journalists at Srinagar's old airport.
Read:| Online registration for Amarnath Yatra suspended
“After being briefed by Commanders regarding the situation, both on LoC and hinterland, I am glad to say that all the parameters we judge the normalcy by, have seen great improvement. There have been few (militant) initiated incidents," the General said.
He also said, "there have been hardly any cases of stone-pelting in the recent past and all these are indicators of return to normalcy. These are all indicators that awaam (people) also wants the same and it is a very good thing that is happening."
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