JAMMU, Mar 5: The 38-day annual pilgrimage to the sacred Amarnath cave shrine, situated at an elevation of 3,880 meters in south Kashmir, is set to begin on July 3, as announced by an official spokesperson on Wednesday.
This decision was made during the 48th board meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), chaired by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan.
“This year, the pilgrimage will start on July 3, simultaneously from both the Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, culminating on August 9 in celebration of Raksha Bandhan,” the spokesperson noted.
He mentioned that the meeting saw participation from shrine board members who suggested various initiatives to enhance facilities and services for the pilgrims.
Given the anticipated increase in the number of pilgrims for the Amarnath Yatra, discussions focused on expanding accommodation capacity in Jammu, Srinagar, and other areas, establishing yatri facilitation centers for e-KYC, issuing RFID cards, and enabling on-site registration for pilgrims at various locations, including Nowgam and Katra railway stations, the spokesperson added.
Additionally, the enhancement of these facilities at Baltal, Pahalgam, Nunwan, and Pantha Chowk in Srinagar was also deliberated based on demand.
In reviewing ongoing projects undertaken by the line departments, the LG emphasized the importance of ensuring adequate arrangements and essential amenities along the yatra route. He also urged an increase in capacity at Yatri Niwas in Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, the spokesperson stated.
The meeting further explored ongoing projects; the dissemination of yatra-related information; insurance coverage for yatris, service providers, and ponies; the extension of online services by the shrine board; and the widening and upkeep of yatra tracks.
The spokesperson elaborated that strategies for decongesting the holy cave and surrounding areas, disaster preparedness and response measures, appropriate heli services provisioning, medical care availability, weather forecasting infrastructure, and security among other concerns were extensively discussed during this meeting.
The LG recognized the board members for their invaluable contributions and ongoing support in facilitating the successful execution of the yatra.
