LG Sinha visits Yatri Niwas, Tatkal registration of pilgrims begins
Jammu Tawi, June 29: The ‘City of Temples' is witnessing hustle-bustle as the first batch of pilgrims will leave for Shri Amarnath Yatra from Bhagwati Nagar base camp here on Friday amidst tight security arrangements.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is likely to flag-off the first batch from here tomorrow.
The 62-day long pilgrimage is starting from July 1 and ending on August 30. The pilgrims have started to reach the base camp for the journey tomorrow.
Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today visited Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar and reviewed arrangements put in place for the pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra.
The Lt Governor, who is also the Chairman of Shri AmarnathJi Shrine Board, took stock of food and lodging of the pilgrims, security, functioning of Joint Control Room, langer stalls, registration counters, power and water supply, health facilities, sanitation, transportation, deployment of health and sanitation staff, installation of mobile toilets, fire tenders and emergency services.
The Lt Governor directed the officials to increase the manpower for health, sanitation and other essential services. He welcomed pilgrims from across the country who have arrived at Yatri Niwas for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage. During the interaction, the Lt Governor also enquired about the facilities.
Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu informed the Lt Governor that the holding capacity of pilgrims at Samba and Kathua has been increased from the last year and additional buses have been stationed at the key locations of pilgrimage.
Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu; Avny Lavasa, Deputy Commissioner Jammu; Rahul Yadav, Commissioner, JMC and senior officials from civil administration, police and security forces accompanied the Lt Governor.
Meanwhile on the spot (Tatkal) registration has also started for the pilgrims at different centres established in parts of the district. “We have started on-the-spot registration of devotees arriving here for the pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine,” said an official.
Around 2000 pilgrims, including sadhus, have arrived in Jammu city for the yatra. Moreover, the langar committees have also started their preparation to cater to the pilgrims.
While an on-the-spot registration centre has been set up for unregistered pilgrims in Shalimar area of the city, a special camp for registration of sadhus has been set up at Purani Mandi-based Ram temple complex.
Amid tight security arrangements, over 1000 pilgrims have arrived at the Bhagwati-Nagar base camp here for their onward journey to Kashmir, officials said.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Nargesh Singh said all facilities for smooth registration have been put in place.
“The registration of sadhus has begun in Jammu from today. All arrangements have been put in place for best possible facilities to sadhus”, Tehsildar Jai Singh said.
The enthusiasm among pilgrims arriving here for the pilgrimage was palpable.
Sanjeev Kumar of Uttar Pradesh said it is the fourth time that he is visiting the cave shrine.
“The registration process has improved from manual to online. This has done away with the process of sitting in long queues in hot weather conditions”, he said.
Another pilgrim, 69-year-old Jagdesh Raj from Delhi said, “For my entire life, I have been facilitating people planning to go on the pilgrimage, but could not go myself. However, I am very happy that I am now going to pay obeisance at Amarnath ”.
The sadhus have arrived here after completing the Char Dham Yatra to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines in Uttarakhand.
“We are here for the registration, which began today….It is for the sixth time, I am going to Amarnath”, another pilgrim Ramesh Chander Giri said.
This year, drone surveillance has also been pressed into to augment the security structure en route the Yatra.
Deputy Commissioner Avny Lavasa said all arrangements are in place and the district administration is on its toes to welcome the pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Yatra.
On ‘Tatkal registration' the Deputy Commissioner said that pilgrims will get their token number from Saraswati Dham, near Jammu Railway Station and the place and date for registration will be mentioned in the token for which Aadhar card of the pilgrims is mandatory.
“In all five counters have been established for Tatkal registration of the pilgrims at Vaishnavi Dham, Mahajan Sabha, Panchayat Ghar and two at Geeta Bhawan and Ram Mandir for the registration of Sadhus,” she added.
“Pilgrims shall be provided RFID Tag at the registration centre itself which is mandatory with the pilgrims permit,” she said.
The Deputy Commissioner also said that pre-registration (online) pilgrims can get their RF1D tags at Yatri Niwas and Railway Station, Jammu. So far, more than 3 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves online for the Yatra.
