20,000 visit Amarnath shrine in first two days of pilgrimage
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Over 20,000 pilgrims have had darshan of the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' in the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas during the first two days of the pilgrimage, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Friday.
The LG said there is an atmosphere of celebration and enthusiasm across the entire Union Territory for the annual Amarnath Yatra. "Till now, according to the information, over 20,000 devotees of Baba have had darshan," Sinha told reporters after inaugurating the Yatri Niwas Complex at the Baltal base camp in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
"Baba's devotees are coming here from various corners of the country, and the people of J-K are welcoming them with open hearts. The J-K government and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) have improved the facilities for the yatris," Sinha said.
Sinha noted that pilgrims arriving earlier than their stipulated date would be accommodated, but advised them to wait, as priority would be given to devotees with prior registration.
The Yatri Niwas, developed by ONGC under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, will accommodate 800 pilgrims and also includes a registration and security block.
"Providing safe and adequate accommodation for all devotees is our top priority," the LG said.
Sinha thanked ONGC for taking up the work of establishing Yatri Niwas facilities at Sidhra (Jammu), Baltal, Nunwan, and Bijbehara at a cost of Rs 240 crore under CSR.
"Safe and adequate accommodation for all devotees is our top priority. We are creating better facilities for the pilgrims, while securing the livelihood of local people and service providers. At present, the work on Yatri Niwas at Sidhra, Nunwan Phase-I, and Bijbehara is ongoing. The Yatri Niwas at Nunwan is expected to be completed before the month of October this year," he said.
Widening of tracks and installation of safety railings have ensured safe and hassle-free movement of pilgrims. The tracks are illuminated by grid power, which has provided great relief to the pilgrims and enabled 24x7 monitoring.
"Grid power connectivity from Panchtarni to Chandanwari will be ensured by next year," the LG added.
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