In a major security upgrade, the Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has decided to photograph and fingerprint each pilgrim beginning the yatra to the holy shrine from Katra town. Over 50 lakh pilgrims from India and abroad visit the Vaishno Devi shrine every year. Officials said the decision has been taken in view of an increased threat from terrorists.

The Shrine Board has asked Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Board’s chairman, that no pilgrim be registered without being photographed and fingerprinted.

The Board has sought permission to install biometric scanning systems at the registration counters. “This is to avoid fake registrations. Anyone can fake their identity at the moment, but once we have the fingerprints and photographs with us, that won’t be possible,” said Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Board.

“The move is part of a broader plan to improve security at the shrine. We have already installed 18 closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the shrine complex, and we will put up another 22-25. Cameras will be set up at guest houses too. Besides upgrading security, they will improve our administrative functioning,” Diwedi said. The upgrade comes in the wake of an alert to the Shrine Board saying the shrine was under increased terrorist threat.