Pilgrim turnout remains strong as 38-day holy Yatra nears conclusion; 8,276 visit cave shrine on Thursday alone
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD)Undeterred by the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that cast a shadow over this year’s pilgrimage, the Amarnath Yatra has continued with resilience and faith, as the number of pilgrims who have paid obeisance at the sacred cave shrine crossed the four lakh mark on Thursday.
According to official figures, a total of 8,276 pilgrims visited the holy cave on Thursday alone. These included 6,296 men, 1,082 women, 58 children, 55 sadhus, 3 sadhvis, 2 transgender persons, and 780 security personnel.
Since the Yatra began on 3 July, the total number of pilgrims who have completed the journey has reached 4,01,677.
The pilgrimage witnessed an initial dip in registrations following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. Officials had earlier indicated that this year’s numbers were directly impacted by the incident. However, the declining trend has gradually reversed in recent weeks.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had noted that prior to the April 22 attack, over 2.36 lakh pilgrims had already registered. “The figures were encouraging before the incident. There was a temporary decline, but with renewed outreach and enhanced security, numbers are climbing again,” he had stated.
While last year saw a turnout of over 5.1 lakh pilgrims, officials remain optimistic that this year’s Yatra will conclude on a strong note, especially with steady daily participation.
In view of heightened security concerns, authorities have implemented robust multi-tier security arrangements along the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam. Thousands of security personnel have been deployed, and all routes have been declared no-flying zones for the duration of the Yatra. The ban includes drones, paragliders, and balloons.
Additional measures include the use of CCTV surveillance, drone monitoring, and RFID tracking for registered pilgrims, ensuring round-the-clock monitoring of the pilgrimage routes.
The Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to conclude on 9 August, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan, with thousands more expected to undertake the sacred journey before it culminates(DD)
