Amarnath Yatra resumes after six-day weather halt
Authorities to carry out repair works on Pahalgam Axis, Yatra to continue via Baltal Route
Jammu/Srinagar: The Amarnath Yatra resumed on Saturday after remaining suspended for six days due to bad weather, with the pilgrimage reopening on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes and over 6,000 pilgrims leaving Jammu for Kashmir, officials said. Meanwhile, authorities have announced repair works on the Pahalgam axis and have said that the yatra will continue via the Baltal route.
The pilgrimage had been suspended on July 19 as a precautionary measure following persistent rainfall and adverse weather conditions along both the 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district leading to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine.
Officials said the yatra resumed after the weather improved and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway became operational again following a three-day closure triggered by landslides and shooting stones at several locations along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch.
Hundreds of pilgrims set off towards the holy cave shrine from both the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps on Saturday morning amid light rainfall.
From Jammu, the 18th batch of pilgrims comprising 6,269 devotees — including 1,470 women, 25 children and 54 sadhus — left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 223 vehicles under tight security at around 2.40 am for the Baltal base camp.
No convoy was dispatched from Jammu for the Pahalgam route, officials said.
Heavy rains had lashed most parts of Kashmir over the past few days, triggering landslides in hilly areas and causing water levels in rivers and streams to rise, prompting authorities to suspend the pilgrimage as a safety measure.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp on July 2, a day before the yatra formally began in the Valley.
The pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
Nearly four lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine, while around 1.20 lakh pilgrims have begun their journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
Pilgrims travelling from Jammu are ferried to Kashmir in escorted convoys under elaborate security arrangements.
Meanwhile, in view of the repair and maintenance works necessitated by recent rainfall, the Amarnathji Yatra will continue through the Baltal axis, while the Pahalgam axis will remain temporarily closed for pilgrimage.Weather
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, said that the recent rains have caused conditions requiring urgent repair and restoration works along the Pahalgam route. To ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the Yatra, comprehensive arrangements have been made on the Baltal axis for the safe and smooth movement of pilgrims.
“Due to the recent rains, urgent repair and maintenance works are required to be carried out on the Pahalgam Axis of Shri Amarnathji Yatra. The Yatra shall continue through the Baltal Axis, for which adequate arrangements have been put in place to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage,” the Divisional Commissioner said.
As of today, more than 3.95 lakh pilgrims have undertaken darshan at the Holy Amarnath Cave Shrine during this year’s Yatra, reflecting the successful and peaceful conduct of the pilgrimage.
