Srinagar, June 30: In preparation for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, on Tuesday conducted a comprehensive review of the arrangements put in place at Srinagar International Airport to ensure a safe, seamless, and hassle-free travel experience for pilgrims.

During the inspection, the Divisional Commissioner assessed the facilities established for Yatris, including dedicated eKYC counters, Yatra Facilitation Centre, passenger reception areas, and other essential facilities available at the airport.

On the occasion, senior officials from the Civil Administration, Airport Authority, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) briefed the Divisional Commissioner on the preparedness and coordination measures undertaken by their respective departments to facilitate the smooth movement of pilgrims at the Airport.

Speaking on the occasion, the Div Com stressed the need for coordination and robust communication mechanisms to ensure the timely resolution of issues and uninterrupted services for the pilgrims.

Pertinently, in a major step towards facilitating the seamless and pilgrim-friendly Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026, the local Administration have substantially augmented the registration infrastructure across Kashmir.

The total number of pilgrim facilitation counters has been increased from 54 in 2025 to 131 in 2026, which includes a significant increase in E-KYC counters from 21 to 59, RFID counters from 20 to 32, and on-spot registration counters from 13 to 40.

The additional registration facilities have been established at key locations including Pantha Chowk, Srinagar International Airport and Railway Station Nowgam.

During the visit, the Div Com was accompanied by DC Budgam Athar Aamir, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Budgam, and other officers from the concerned departments.

Srinagar, Jun 30: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday reviewed preparations for the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir (IFFJK)-2026, envisaged as a landmark initiative to revive the region’s cinematic legacy.

Abdullah chaired a meeting here in which extensive deliberations were held on the festival’s vision, its screening and programming strategy, branding, digital outreach, industry partnerships and international participation, an official spokesperson said.

Director of Information and Public Relations, Shreya Singhal, gave a comprehensive presentation outlining the proposed framework for the inaugural edition of the festival.

Reviewing the proposals, the chief minister said the film festival should evolve into a globally recognised cinematic event celebrating storytelling while showcasing Jammu and Kashmir’s breathtaking landscapes, rich cultural heritage, artistic traditions and emerging creative talent.

He stressed the need to deliver a professionally curated festival of international standards capable of attracting renowned filmmakers, producers, artists and cinema enthusiasts from across the world.

Abdullah underlined that the event must not be viewed as a mere film festival but as a defining cultural and economic platform for Jammu and Kashmir.

He said it should generate opportunities in tourism, investment, employment and the creative economy while reaffirming Jammu and Kashmir’s historic place as India’s preferred destination for film production, creative pursuits and cinematic tourism.

Emphasising the importance of nurturing the local creative ecosystem, the chief minister directed that local filmmakers, writers, directors, actors, cinematographers, technicians, photographers, designers, artisans, craftsmen and other creative professionals be meaningfully integrated with the film festival through exhibitions, facilitating networking opportunities and business engagements.

He also instructed the organisers to facilitate structured interactions between local talent and eminent national and international filmmakers, producers, directors, actors and industry experts through masterclasses and in-conversation sessions, workshops, panel discussions, mentoring sessions and knowledge-sharing programmes.

Such engagements would provide aspiring professionals from Jammu and Kashmir with global exposure, technical expertise and industry networks while encouraging innovation and excellence in filmmaking, he added.

The chief minister also called for instituting a special segment to recognise distinguished actors, filmmakers, directors, producers, cinematographers, musicians and other cinema personalities who have played a significant role in keeping Jammu and Kashmir’s cinematic legacy alive by creating memorable films in the region over the decades.

Recognising their contribution would celebrate Kashmir’s enduring association with Indian cinema while inspiring a renewed partnership between the film industry and Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

Highlighting the festival’s wider developmental potential, the chief minister said it should also create meaningful opportunities for local artisans, craftspeople, entrepreneurs, and tourism stakeholders, ensuring that the benefits of the event extend well beyond the film fraternity.

He directed the departments concerned to make the festival a comprehensive celebration of Jammu and Kashmir’s artistic, cultural and entrepreneurial excellence.

The proposed festival will feature international competition, Indian cinema, documentaries, short films, student films, animation, regional cinema, industry forums, workshops and cultural programmes.

The proposed four-day festival, scheduled to be held in September 2026, will host screenings across multiple venues, offering an immersive experience for filmmakers, delegates and audiences.

Baramulla, June 30: Baramulla Police on Tuesday conducted a comprehensive multi-agency mock drill at Railway Station Hamray in close coordination with the 29 RR, 2nd Battalion SSB, GRP Hamray, RPF Hamray, and the Fire & Emergency Services to assess operational preparedness, response capability, inter-agency coordination, and overall security arrangements ahead of the Amarnath Yatra.

“As part of the security preparedness for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, Baramulla Police today conducted a comprehensive multi-agency mock drill at Railway Station Hamray in close coordination with 29 RR, 2nd Battalion SSB, GRP Hamray, RPF Hamray, and Fire & Emergency Services,” officials said in a press statement.

The exercise was aimed at assessing the operational preparedness, response capability, inter-agency coordination, and overall security arrangements at the railway station in view of the upcoming pilgrimage.

“Various emergency scenarios were simulated to evaluate the effectiveness of joint response mechanisms, communication, evacuation procedures, and crisis management,” the officials said.

The participating agencies demonstrated seamless coordination and swift response during the exercise, reaffirming their commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for pilgrims and the general public.

“Baramulla Police remains fully committed to maintaining a robust security grid and will continue to conduct such preparedness exercises in coordination with sister agencies to ensure the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra,” the officals said.

Srinagar, Jun 30: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday claimed several leaders and workers of her party were placed under house arrest to prevent them from protesting against the government over the issue of “backdoor” appointments.

“The NC government repeatedly hides behind the excuse that the police department is beyond its control whenever questions of accountability arise. Yet, whenever young people peacefully raise their voices for justice be it the rationalisation of reservations or opposing backdoor appointments the same government functions in complete coordination with the police to crush every democratic expression of dissent,” she charged in a post on X.

The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said the National Conference (NC) government’s “hypocrisy” stands “fully exposed” as PDP leaders and workers across the valley were placed under house arrest to prevent a peaceful protest against the outsourcing of government jobs.

“This selective helplessness exposes their duplicity Their duplicity is further exposed when departments such as Housing, Revenue and Forest readily enlist police assistance to demolish the homes of poor and vulnerable families in the name of anti encroachment drives,” she said.

The PDP has alleged that the NC government has made backdoor appointments in several departments by using price outsourcing agencies.

However, on Sunday, Chief Minister’s Advisor, Nasir Aslam Wani, accompanied by ministers Sakina Ittoo and Javed Dar, addressed a press conference to counter the allegations levelled by the opposition.

Police here foiled the PDP’s protest march against the alleged backdoor recruitment at the Press Enclave here.

Several PDP leaders and activists reached the Press Enclave to protest as part of the party’s plans to protest across the valley.

However, police stopped the PDP workers and foiled their protest.

Srinagar, June 30: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi, on Tuesday said a robust, multi-tier security grid has been put in place for the annual Amarnath Yatra, complemented by extensive mock drills to ensure seamless coordination among security agencies and effective response to any emergency.

IGP Birdi, while interacting with media, said extensive mock drills have been conducted to clearly define their respective roles and responsibilities in case of any emergency or contingency.

He said the objective of these mock drills is to ensure that every stakeholder understands their responsibility and responds in a coordinated manner during any unforeseen situation.

Birdi said monitoring and supervision are also being carried out from elevated locations to maintain a watch over the Yatra route and surrounding areas.

The IGP kashmir also said that several stretches along the pilgrimage route remain vulnerable to natural calamities, including landslides, avalanches and glacial movement. “To address these risks, tabletop exercises have been conducted by the agencies concerned,” he added.

He further said Medical Response Teams (MRTs) and other emergency rescue units have been strategically deployed at sensitive locations to provide immediate assistance in case of any weather-related emergency or other incident.