Nearly 8,000 Pilgrims Depart Jammu as Routes Reopen Safely
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD): The annual Amarnath Yatra resumed on Friday morning after a temporary suspension due to inclement weather and treacherous track conditions. With improved weather and successful restoration of the routes, thousands of devotees set off once again towards the revered cave shrine.
Officials said the yatra was halted on Thursday from both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes as a precautionary measure after continuous rains triggered landslides and made the trekking paths unsafe.
“Restoration work was launched immediately. Teams from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and rescue agencies worked round-the-clock to clear the debris and stabilise the tracks,” an official said.
Following clearance from security and road safety agencies, movement of pilgrims resumed from both the Nunwan (Pahalgam) and Baltal base camps early Friday morning.
So far, over 2.56 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave and witnessed the naturally formed Ice Lingam during the first 15 days of this year’s pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, the 16th batch of 7,908 yatris departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early this morning under tight security. The convoy comprised 261 vehicles, including 170 buses, 22 medium motor vehicles, and 69 light motor vehicles.
The batch included 5,957 male pilgrims, 1,613 females, 26 children, 290 sadhus and 22 sadhvis(DD)
