5000 yatris arrived in Jammu, numbers will increase, Security beefed up, Yatris advised to travel in convoy
Jammu Tawi, Jul 1: Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha will flag off the first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims for the twin base camps in Kashmir from here amid tight security on Wednesday.
The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high shrine will commence on July 3 from the Valley via the twin tracks — the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter (14 kilometres) but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The yatra will conclude on August 9.
According to officials, more than 3,31,000 devotees have registered for this year’s yatra so far.
On-the-spot registration of devotees arriving here for the pilgrimage has also started. Nearly 4,000 tokens have been distributed during the past two days, the officials said.
“The first batch of the yatra will leave the Jammu base camp in Bhagwati Nagar for Kashmir tomorrow. It will be flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha,” said Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar.
The devotees will be ferried to the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal amid heavy security escort, traffic restrictions and area domination along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the officials said.
Traffic restrictions will be imposed on various routes from July 2 to August 9, with daily advisories issued to minimise inconvenience, a traffic officer said, adding that cut-off timings have been fixed for each sector on the highway, which is monitored through CCTVs.
The LG, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), reviewed the security and other arrangements for the yatra at a high-level meeting, the officials said.
LG Sinha informed that more than 5,000 Yatris have already arrived in Jammu, and the number is expected to rise significantly in the coming days. “We are anticipating a very good response from devotees this year,” he added.
Earlier in Srinagar, the Lt Governor has also chaired a high-level meeting with senior officers and reviewed the final preparations for the annual Amarnath Yatra. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP J-K Nalin Prabhat and other senior officers from the police and civil administration, and senior officials of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), an official spokesman said.
Sinha directed the officials to spread the traffic advisory widely so that common man is not inconvenienced during the 38-day pilgrimage that starts on Thursday.
The Lieutenant Governor took a comprehensive review of the traffic and security management and all the arrangements in place by the stakeholder departments for the smooth, safe and hassle-free holy pilgrimage, the spokesperson said.
District administrations, SSPs, traffic police and stakeholder departments should work in close coordination to ensure movement of pilgrims in designated convoys and smooth implementation of the traffic plan, the LG said.
Sinha directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that lodgement centres and sanitation units are in good condition.
Later, the Lieutenant Governor also visited Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar Jammu and reviewed arrangements for the pilgrims of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. He took stock of food and lodging of the pilgrims, security, registration counters, power and water supply, health facilities, help desks, sanitation, transportation and emergency services.
At Yatri Niwas, the Lieutenant Governor interacted with devotees of Baba Barfani and extended his warm wishes to pilgrims for a safe, blessed and spiritually fulfilling experience
Addressing the media persons on the sidelines of his visit, the Lieutenant Governor said that a large number of devotees from across the country have arrived for the Yatra, which begins from Jammu tomorrow morning.
“Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is a serene, enlightening and lifelong experience. May their pilgrimage be filled with joy, peace, and spiritual bliss.
Improved arrangements have been made for the convenience of the pilgrims. We must carry forward the traditions of J&K and make this yatra a huge success,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo also visited the base camp in Jammu and said that all arrangements have been put in place for a peaceful pilgrimage.
Jammu has been put under a security blanket with enhanced security measures, including a multi-layer security grid and the use of technology for surveillance.
Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Security Wing has taken charge of the Bhagwati Nagar base camp while the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is managing security around the base camp.
The Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu serves as the primary base camp for pilgrims from across the country before they proceed to the cave shrine of Amarnath nestled in the majestic Himalayas of south Kashmir.
