J-K: Shyambir, the District Development Commissioner (DDC) of Ganderbal, presided over a high-level meeting on Tuesday to go over the detailed work plan for the next Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra in 2025.

A review of the action plan from the previous year’s Yatra, with a focus on improving the quality of services and infrastructure, kicked off the meeting at the Mini Secretariat’s Conference Hall here.

In order to guarantee pilgrims a smooth Yatra experience, discussions centered on several important areas of focus, such as upgrades to health services, sanitation, flood protection measures, solar lighting, parking facilities, mobile connectivity, transportation services, backup plans, and other essential infrastructure.

Department heads gave information on their current initiatives and preparations for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY). The DDC emphasized how crucial it is to turn in completed work plans by January 24 in order to facilitate the prompt completion of development projects that are essential to the Yatra’s smooth operation.

The Jal Shakti Department was instructed to guarantee that hot water was available at the designated stations, while the Animal Husbandry Department was entrusted with locating appropriate spots for hot water facilities for ponies throughout the Yatra route.

The Rural Development Department was requested to prioritize the upkeep of restrooms and to plan for the repair of any utilities that could need repairs during the Yatra.

To improve transportation and parking management, the Assistant Regional Transport Office Ganderbal also suggested combining parking lots and creating a distinct SRTC ticket booth.

With a particular emphasis on bolstering connection at Base Camp Baltal and throughout the Yatra trail from Domail forward, the DDC instructed telecom operators to submit a comprehensive plan ahead of time in order to address the crucial problem of mobile connectivity.

Officers offered helpful recommendations to improve the services offered to pilgrims by sharing their knowledge and experiences from the previous year’s Yatra.

The DDC gave explicit instructions to the relevant departments to handle the concerns reported by officers as soon as possible and guaranteed rapid resolution of such issues.

As the conference came to an end, the DDC instructed all departments involved in the Yatra via the Baltal route to revise their action plans and give infrastructure and service improvements first priority.

Executive engineers from many departments, DFO Sindh Forest Division, SSP Ganderbal, Ragav S, Additional Deputy Commissioner Gulzar Ahmad, SDM Kangan, CEO SDA, and officials from other line departments attended the meeting.