After remaining suspended for six days due to inclement weather, the annual Amarnath Yatra resumed on Saturday, with authorities allowing the pilgrimage only through the Baltal route while keeping the traditional Pahalgam route temporarily closed for repairs.
The pilgrimage had been suspended on July 19 as a precautionary measure following persistent rainfall and adverse weather conditions that affected 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 more than 6,000 pilgrims left Jammu for Kashmir on Saturday and will proceed towards the shrine through the Baltal route. The yatra resumed after weather conditions improved and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway reopened following a three-day closure caused by landslides and shooting stones along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg said that in view of urgent repair and maintenance work necessitated by recent rainfall, the Pahalgam axis would remain temporarily closed, while comprehensive arrangements had been made to ensure the safe and smooth movement of pilgrims through the Baltal route.
“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,” Garg said.
Hundreds of pilgrims set off from the Baltal base camp on Saturday morning amid light rainfall. From Jammu, the 18th batch of 6,269 pilgrims, including 1,470 women, 25 children and 54 sadhus, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 223 vehicles under tight security for Baltal. No convoy was dispatched for the Pahalgam route.
As of Saturday, more than 3.95 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine, reflecting the smooth and peaceful conduct of this year’s pilgrimage.
The Amarnath Yatra is conducted along two routes—the traditional Pahalgam route and the shorter Baltal route. This year’s pilgrimage, flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on July 2, is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
Security has been significantly strengthened this year with a total of 581 companies of various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed to secure the pilgrimage, which attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country.