Jammu, July 10: The ninth batch of 8,796 pilgrims undertaking the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu on Friday for the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam under tight security arrangements.
Officials said the pilgrims left in a convoy of 354 vehicles, including light and heavy motor vehicles. Of the total, 3,450 pilgrims were headed to the Baltal base camp, while 5,346 were travelling via the traditional Pahalgam route.
The convoy moved under a multi-layered security cover with coordinated arrangements by the civil administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police, security forces and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board to ensure the pilgrimage proceeds safely and smoothly.
Meanwhile, the pilgrimage has witnessed a strong turnout, with 1,71,501 devotees from across the country paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine during the first seven days of the Yatra.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has once again urged devotees to undertake the pilgrimage only after obtaining confirmed registration and strictly on their allotted date. Officials reiterated that no unregistered pilgrim will be permitted to proceed to the Baltal or Pahalgam base camps.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from Jammu on July 2, marking the commencement of this year’s annual pilgrimage.
