Amarnath Yatra would be a challenge this year: Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday, 28 May, said conducting the annual Amarnath Yatra this year would be a "challenge" in the aftermath of the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, but expressed confidence that all the necessary arrangements would be made for the smooth pilgrimage.

The chief minister, who chaired a high-level meeting in Gulmarg to assess the functioning of various departments, reviewed CAPEX works, emergency preparedness, tourist safety, sports and adventure tourism, mobile connectivity, and works in sectors like health and rural development.

According to a government spokesperson, the preparedness for the upcoming religious festivals was discussed in detail.

He said that while discussing the upcoming religious events like Mela Kheer Bhawani, Eid, Muharram and Amarnath Yatra, Abdullah asserted that "this year's pilgrimage will be especially challenging".

"From a security and logistical standpoint, we must ensure that the Yatra is conducted smoothly. I am confident, given your experience, that all necessary arrangements will be made," the chief minister said in the meeting.

The meeting was attended by the council of ministers, all administrative secretaries, divisional commissioner of Kashmir, deputy commissioner of Baramulla, senior police officers and heads of several departments.

Quoting the Urdu couplet "Dil na-umeed to nahi, nakaam hi to hai; Lambi haigham ki shaam, magar shaam hi to hai (Just because my heart is helpless, it is not hopeless; the grief-filled evening is long, but it's still just an evening)," Abdullah reflected on the importance of optimism during adversity.

"These lines, which I also quoted at the recent NITI Aayog meeting, serve as a reminder that even in the dark times, hope must prevail. What happened recently marks one of the most difficult phases in recent years, but we have endured worse over the past four decades -- ”and always found a way to bounce back," he said.

A day earlier, Abdullah chaired a meeting of his council of ministers in Pahalgam.

He said holding back-to-back meetings at tourist resorts Pahalgam and Gulmarg is an effort to instil public confidence and encourage people to visit Kashmir.

"These meetings are not symbolic. They are part of a larger effort to initiate a return to normalcy and restore confidence," he said.

Abdullah said this was the first time such an administrative meeting was held outside the twin secretariats of Jammu and Srinagar.

"In my previous tenure, we took the cabinet to remote areas, but senior-level departmental reviews were confined to the capitals. Holding this meeting here is to transition away from the unfortunate events of the last six weeks," he added.

Referring to his participation in the recent NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah said he had urged the Prime Minister and other ministers to consider Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Valley, as a venue for central PSU board meetings and conferences, ”particularly in summer when most seek respite from the heat.

"We had several parliamentary committee meetings scheduled in the Valley, which were cancelled after 22 April. I have requested the Centre to work with the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha Secretariats to bring those meetings back. Some ministers have already committed to doing so," he said.

Later, the chief minister also met delegations from various trade associations in Gulmarg and interacted with visiting tourists.