Jammu, July 25: The annual Shri Amarnath Yatra resumed on Saturday after a six-day suspension caused by adverse weather, with more than 6,200 pilgrims leaving the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the holy cave shrine via the Baltal route under tight security.
The yatra has been suspended since July 19 as a precautionary measure following adverse weather conditions and forecasts for heavy rainfall along the twin Baltal and Pahalgam routes in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said a fresh batch of 6,269 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas early this morning, with all pilgrims proceeding via the Baltal base camp.
The batch comprised 1,470 women, 25 children and 54 sadhus, who travelled in a convoy of 223 vehicles under elaborate security arrangements.
No convoy was dispatched for the traditional Pahalgam route, officials added.
The resumption of the Yatra followed the restoration of traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which had remained closed due to landslides and shooting stones along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch.
The annual pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.
With Saturday’s batch, nearly four lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the holy Amarnath cave shrine during this year’s Yatra. (UNI)
