624 CCTV cameras installed on Char Dham routes and Dham premises
PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Police are gearing up to monitor the Char Dham Yatra, which is set to commence on April 30. For the first time, a dedicated State-level control room has been established in the Patel Bhawan in Dehradun to oversee every aspect of the annual pilgrimage. Multiple desks have been set up within the control room to address various recurring issues during the Yatra, including traffic management, parking and halting points, toll plaza and ANPR camera coordination, law and order, VVIP movements, stakeholder coordination, media relations, nodal officers communication and vehicle accident rescue operations.
The Dehradun Superintendent of Police (Traffic) and in-charge of the control room Lokjeet Singh said that separate police officers have been assigned to each desk to ensure swift and effective resolution of issues, aiming for a smooth Char Dham experience for all devotees. The Char Dham circuit has been strategically divided into 15 super zones, 41 zones and 137 sectors, with each sector covering 10 kilometres and guarded by two constables around the clock.
A deputy superintendent of police will be stationed at each of the four pilgrimage sites- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The security deployment for the Yatra will be extensive, comprising 24 DSPs, 66 inspectors, 366 sub-inspectors, 615 head constables, 1,222 constables, 208 female constables, 926 homeguards, 1,049 Prantiya Rakshak Dal personnel, nine companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary and 26 teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
Singh said that parking spaces near the Char Dham sites have been significantly expanded compared to last year to accommodate the influx of pilgrims. “To strengthen surveillance, authorities have installed a total of 624 CCTV cameras along the Char Dham routes and within the premises of each Dham. Of these, 567 cameras are operational along the routes, including 115 in Rudraprayag, 107 in Dehradun, 102 in Tehri, 85 in Haridwar, 79 in Chamoli, 44 in Pauri and 20 in Gangotri and 15 in Yamunotri areas of Uttarkashi district. An additional 57 cameras have been installed directly at the Dhams, with 24 in Gangotri, 12 in Yamunotri, 16 in Badrinath and five in Kedarnath,” he said.
He added that the police are committed to ensuring the safety, security and convenience of pilgrims in the Char Dham Yatra and necessary modifications will be made in the plans accordingly.
