Over 85,000 pilgrims have undertaken the Amarnath Yatra in the past four days, with more than 28,000 individuals having ‘darshan’ on Monday. The pilgrimage, which commenced on July 3, has witnessed a steady increase in the number of Yatris each day. Despite heavy rain, pilgrims continued their journey to the holy cave situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters.
Pilgrims who visited the cave shrine on Monday safely returned to the Baltal base camp by evening. Due to the extended duration required to reach the Nunwan base camp, Yatris from the south Kashmir Pahalgam side are opting to return via the Baltal base camp, as they can complete the journey and darshan on the same day. Reports indicate a significant influx of pilgrims at base camps and halting stations, creating a bustling atmosphere in the entire yatra area.
Elaborate arrangements have been put in place by the authorities at base camps and along the tracks at halting stations to cater to the needs of the pilgrims. In addition to Langars set up by various socio-religious organizations, thousands of tented accommodations have been established from Baltal to Nunwan Pahalgam, leading to the holy cave. The Yatris are regularly updated about the weather forecast through public address systems at base camps for their safety.
Stringent security measures have been implemented from Pahalgam and Baltal base camps up to the holy cave, with a four-tier security system in operation. The Army and ITBP personnel are stationed in the upper reaches and twin tracks, while the CRPF, in coordination with J&K Police personnel, manages the base camps. Pilgrims have been advised to plan their travel to the holy cave based on their registration date, as no unregistered pilgrim will be permitted to leave for the twin base camps due to the heavy rush.
Meanwhile, Jammu is witnessing a significant influx of pilgrims, with thousands arriving daily from various parts of the country through different modes of transport. Strict measures have been enforced to ensure that only registered pilgrims proceed for darshan, with queues forming in front of registration and token counters at multiple locations in Jammu.
