Amarnath Yatra suspended along both routes from today

The ongoing Amarnath Yatra has been suspended from Sunday on both routes in Kashmir due to maintenance work following recent heavy rain.

An official spokesperson said on Saturday that due to recent heavy rainfall and the need for track maintenance along both the Baltal and Pahalgam axes of the Amarnath Yatra route, the yatra movement has been closed on both the tracks.

“Due to the recent heavy rain, critical repair and maintenance works are required on both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes,” Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, said in a statement.

He said it has been observed “that due to continued deployment of men and machinery on the tracks from tomorrow, we would not be able to resume yatra.”

“The yatra will therefore remain suspended from August 3 from both the routes,” he said.

More than 4.1 lakh yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave of Amarnath this year, according to the officials.

The number of pilgrims who paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir crossed the 4 lakh mark this week, according to officials.

The yatra this year took place amid heightened security following the Pahalgam terror attack in April in which 26 people were killed.

The annual pilgrimage, which commenced on July 3, saw a strong turnout despite initial fears following the terror attack in Pahalgam. In response, authorities significantly ramped up security, deploying 581 companies from various central armed police forces to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.