Srinagar,July 24 (Scoop News) – In connection with Sh. Amarnathji Yatra,14950 yatris comprising male, female, children and sadhu’s left from traditional route Pahalgam and Baltal Sonmarg for holy Cave to have darshan of Shiv Lingam. Of these, 9342 were male, 4295 female, 570 children and 743 Sadhus.
As such, as many as three lakh Yatris visited holy Cave for darshan of Shiv Lingam, so far. In addition, according to tourism sources over 1.93 lakh domestic and foreign tourists have so far visited Pahalgam health resort.
Various departments have made arrangements for ensuring hassle a free Yatra. The departments include CAPD, Information, Tourism, Revenue, SRTC, Labour, BSNL, Metrology etc. besides, tourist information assistance booths have been set up at all the halting stations like Nunwan, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panjtharni and holy cave for guiding the Yatris.
Meanwhile The Chairman Shrine Board, N. N. Vohra, reviewed all aspects of the on-going Yatra with R. K. Goyal, Chief Executive Officer, Saugat Biswas, Additional CEO and all the other concerned functionaries here today.
The Yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji is progressing satisfactorily and till last evening around 2,90,000 pilgrims had performed darshan at the Holy Cave. Of the total number of Yatris, about 21000 availed the helicopter services from Baltal and Pahalgam to Panjtarni to undertake their Yatra.
The Yatra, which remained suspended on 22nd – 23rd July due to almost continuous heavy rains and inclement weather, resumed on both the routes today morning, with the significant improvement in the weather conditions.
Today morning, over 2500 Yatris left Jammu for the Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps.
The Chairman noted, with deep regret, that 28 pilgrims had lost their lives on the tracks due to cardiac and respiratory ailments. In this context, R. K. Goyal, Chief Executive Officer, has strongly reiterated his advice to the intending Yatris to get themselves medically examined and embark on the Yatra only after they are declared physically fit to undertake the pilgrimage as the routes to the Cave Shrine pass through arduous terrain at very high altitudes.