The security administration is gearing up for the annual Amarnath Yatra that is about to begin in June week, on 29th June 2024, and registration of pilgrims wanting to take this yatra has started from April 15, 2024. This auspicious annual Amarnath Yatra will conclude on 19th August 2024.
Given the strenuous nature of this holy journey that passes through hills and valleys and creeks and the huge no. of Lord Shiva devotees that take this yatra every year, adequate security arrangement has to be made in advance.
The administration is putting in place a three-layer security measure for the safety of pilgrims and service providers like Ponywallas, Pithuwallas, and others. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is one of these measures.
Necessary Requirements for Amarnath Yatra 2024
1.Before you embark on this auspicious journey of Baba Barfani, the Amarnath dham situated at the height of 3888m in Lidder Valley, Pahalgam, J&K, you must prepare for the trip in advance. 2.You’re allowed to make the journey only if your age is between 13 and 75 and you’re medically fit.
3. You must register for the Amarnath Yatra beforehand. You can register through various tours and travel centers and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) manages all the registration. You can also fill out the form online, verify OTP, pay the Yatra registration fee, and download the Yatra permit in a few simple steps.
4. You should collect the mandatory RFID Card from designated locations in Jammu/Kashmir divisions before you embark on the journey after reaching Jammu and Kashmir.
5. You must get a Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) from a verified healthcare institute or a doctor.
6. Pregnant women for over 6 months are not allowed to take the journey.
7. Carry your 5 recent photographs and a valid photo ID issued by the govt. (Voter ID, Passport, Driving License, PAN card).
8. Carry winter clothing, waterproof bags, and raincoats, and wear sturdy shoes as the route is longer, 45 km through the Pahalgam route which is the traditional route that most people take. Some people also take the Baltal route which is 14 km starting from the Baltal area but requires steep climbing. Young enthusiasts who are perfectly fit often take this route.
RFID for Amarnath Yatra: Identification and Security
Every year thousands of pilgrims take the auspicious journey to Amarnath cave Temple in the summer season, in India’s Jammu and Kashmir region. This year, the journey will start from June 29th and security administration is starting to put security measures in place.
Based on past experiences and the arduous nature of the landscape and the journey itself, the safety of pilgrims and service providers takes precedence to make this journey a success. Arrangement of tents and shelters, yatri count, yatri tracking, keeping track of yatri movement from both sides (to the Amarnath cave and from the Amarnath cave), food arrangement, kerosene arrangement, and security measures in case of any unnatural calamity, the administration is looking at everything.
The use of RFID is one such measure that provides greater visibility of pilgrims and their movements along the yatra.
The use of RFID helps the administration in tracking the pilgrims and security providers like Ponywallahs, and Pithuwallahs throughout the journey and this is done using RFID-enabled Yatra cards or passes.
The registered pilgrims and service providers are issued an RFID-enabled yatra pass when they start the yatra and a control room is also set up that stores and analyses the data coming from the RFID tags throughout the journey. RFID readers are placed at various intersections that read the unique IDs of the people passing through and this helps administration make valuable inferences.
This year, the Amarnath Yatris must collect these RFID ID cards by visiting the designated centers in Jammu and Kashmir before the start of the yatra. The Pilgrims are advised to wear these cards around the neck at all times for safety and security concerns. Without the RFID cards, pilgrims will not be allowed to cross the ACG or enter the Yatra area.
What is RFID and how does this work?
For starters, RFID is an automatic data capture and identification tool that is capable of identifying and tracking objects and humans alike.
RFID uses Radio Frequency (RF) signals to communicate between an RFID tag and an RFID reader through an antenna. The RFID tag is attached to an object or human that you want to identify and track using the data encoded in the tag/transponder.
RFID system is mainly categorized into two categories; passive RFID system and active RFID system. Passive RFID system uses RFID tags that are batteryless and are only activated by the RF signal coming from the RFID reader in range. The lack of battery in the transponder makes it lightweight and cost-effective as these tags cost very little.
An active RFID system uses a battery-powered RFID tag that constantly emits RF signals to the interrogator or reader. It provided the system with more range and more accuracy but these tags are costly and are heavy due to in-built battery.
Ultra High Frequency (UHF) passive RFID is very popular for cost-effective RFID tracking, like in the present case.
What are the Benefits of RFID-based Yatri Tracking in Amarnath Yatra?
The holy Yatra of Baba Amarnath Cave has mighty significance in the HINDU religion and people take this auspicious journey every year knowing well the difficult nature of this journey. When Chaucer wrote the Canterbury Tales, he imagines a journey full of 29 people from all backgrounds and the journey to St. Thomas Becket shrine in Canterbury is surely long and arduous. Well, this journey to Baba Amarnath in Kashmir holds much more significance and is taken by thousands of pilgrims and demands strict security measures, unlike the Canterbury tales.
The use of RFID for Amarnath Yatra has several Benefits as Follows:
1. Use of RFID passes ensures the safety of pilgrims from unwarranted elements taking part in the journey.
2. RFID provides greater visibility in terms of pilgrims’ movements or the lack of it. This helps in identifying bottlenecks and taking appropriate steps to solve the problem.
3. RFID can also track pilgrims in case one is lost or left behind from a group since the journey takes several days.
4. RFID tracking and identification is very helpful in case of natural calamity.
5. RFID tracking is very helpful in enhancing the yatra experience of the pilgrims as well.
EnCstore is a leading provider of RFID, IoT, and EAS based security hardware and accessories in India. You can purchase various RFID Readers, RFID tags, RFID cards, Antennas and Printers at industry best prices.
To conclude, given the risks associated with this high arduous journey to Baba Amarnath Dham in Jammu & Kashmir region of India, employing RFID technology to register Pilgrims and service providers, Ponywallas, Pithuwallas, on this journey is crucial and a much needed step taken in right direction.
With an RFID based Yatra Card, it would be easy to manage crowd, track people and locate people based on which post (with RFID Reader and antenna installed) they crossed and when. Use of RFID and other IoT devices to make this annual yatra to baba Amarnath a safe, secure and successful one is of great significance. Similarly, technology is also part of other auspicious pilgrimage sites in India.The yatris visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine are also required to get an RFID based yatra card before they start their yatra. The auspicious Char Dham Yatra also requires you to have a QR Code based registration letter for each pilgrim. You can save the QR Code on your smartphone.
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