To ensure a smooth passage of the yatra convoys on the national highway, extra security measures have been put in place.Marking the beginning of 46-day long yatra to the Amarnath shrine in the Himalayas, the first batch of pilgrims left the base camp in Jammu amid tight security on Sunday morning.
A total of 2,234 pilgrims have embarked on the journey.
The 93-vehicle convoy for the first batch was flagged off by Malik’s advisor K K Sharma at Bhagwati Nagar base camp here. Nearly 1.5 lakh people have registered themselves so far for this year’s yatra, which will finish on August 15.
To visit the cave shrine, nearly 1,006 pilgrims will trek the mountain path from Baltal, while another 1,228 will proceed from the Pahalgam route on Monday, subject to weather conditions.
Pointing out that the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, which administers the yatra and is headed by Governor Satya Pal Malik, has decided to allow 7,500 pilgrims on each route every day, sources familiar with developments said a large number of pilgrims reach both base camps on their own instead of travelling with the yatra convoy.
Porters carry material for 32-km trek from Chandanwari, near Pahalgam. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)Porters carry material for 32-km trek from Chandanwari, near Pahalgam. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)A multi-tier security apparatus has been put in place along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and also the roads leading to Baltal and Pahalgam and the areas around base camps and the Amarnath shrine.
Vehicles have been fitted with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for real-time location information. Stretches of the highway have also been given cutoff times.
Also,this time, authorities have decided not to allow the movement of civilian vehicles along the national highway until the yatra convoy reaches its destinations, around 3 pm. Police in Poonch district seized a tempo carrying 14 pilgrims to Kashmir via Mughal road.
