A fresh batch of over 6,700 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early Sunday for the Amarnath shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas under tight security, officials said. The batch included 1,310 women and 22 children, departing in two separate convoys at 3 am and 3.40 am.
Fourth batch since yatra began
This was the fourth batch of pilgrims leaving Jammu for Kashmir since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the yatra from Jammu. With this, a total of 20,220 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for the Valley so far.
More than 26,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine during the first two days of the annual 57-day Amarnath Yatra, which commenced on July 3.
Routes and security measures
The pilgrimage is being conducted simultaneously via the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The first convoy, carrying 2,590 pilgrims in 152 vehicles, left for the Baltal base camp, while the second convoy, comprising 4,131 pilgrims in 139 vehicles, proceeded to the Pahalgam base camp.
Officials stated that all pilgrims are under tight security arrangements, with convoys escorted by security forces to ensure safety during the journey through the sensitive region.
Unprecedented influx prompts registration restrictions
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Saturday urged unregistered pilgrims planning to undertake the yatra to postpone their journey by a few days, saying all registration slots have been booked till July 9 due to an unprecedented influx of devotees. Officials also announced that beginning Sunday, only registered pilgrims will be permitted to proceed towards Kashmir, while unregistered devotees will be stopped at designated checkpoints until fresh registration quotas become available.
The Amarnath Yatra, which attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees annually, is one of the most significant Hindu pilgrimages in India, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,880 meters, is accessible only during the summer months due to heavy snowfall in winter.
