Jammu Tawi, July 11: The Amarnath Yatra resumed from the Jammu base camp on Tuesday afternoon after remaining suspended for three days in view of the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway for repairs in the Ramban section.
A fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move towards Kashmir for their onward journey to the Amarnath cave shrine as the highway, which had been damaged at several places due to incessant rainfall, was opened, they said.
Amarnath pilgrims usually leave Jammu between 3.45 am and 4.30 am every day. The suspension of the yatra had left around 15,000 pilgrims stranded in Jammu and at other places.
Those stranded at Qazigund were also allowed to move towards Jammu, the officials said.
In view of the suspension of the yatra, around 8,000 pilgrims were stranded in Jammu, particularly the Bhagwatinagar base camp.
Similarly, around 6,000 pilgrims were stranded at the Chanderkot base camp in Ramban district. Nearly 2,000 pilgrims were stranded at Kathua and Samba camps.
All the base camps remained abuzz with Yatris as 18137 yatries performed darshan including 12459 men, 5028 women, 470 children, 176 Sadhus and 1 Sadhvi besides 3 Transgenders.
The total number of pilgrims who visited the shrine from July 1st to till date is 1,37,353.
The yatris were seen happy with the arrangements from the administration enroute to twin axis of yatra and also appreciated the hospitality of the people.
The administration had been proactive to maintain sanitation of treks and base camps to ensure clean and waste free pilgrimage.
Many efforts are being laid under Swachh Bharat and Swachh teerath programmes to maintain pollution & waste free cordial environment. Besides, Special sanitation drives were carried out on Yatra routes to collect waste.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas began on July 1.
Since June 30, a total of 43,833 pilgrims have departed for the cave shrine from the Jammu base camp in seven batches. The pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 31.
