Amarnath yatra offline token distribution centre opens in Jammu

Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, the token distribution centre for offline registration of the pilgrims was operationalised here on Monday, even as the authorities successfully conducted a dry run of the arrangements along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, officials said.

The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath will commence on July 3. The first batch of pilgrims will leave for Kashmir from the Jammu-based Bhagwati Nagar base camp on July 2.

Authorities on Monday opened the token distribution centre at Saraswati Dham in Jammu, drawing huge enthusiasm from devotees across the country and abroad. Braving rain, pilgrims aspiring to undertake the Yatra thronged the centre to get tokens for their on-the-spot registration.

“The distribution of tokens has started today. For this purpose, a token centre has been set up at Saraswati Dham, from where tokens are being distributed to pilgrims undertaking the Yatra on both routes – Pahalgam and Baltal,” Manu Hansa, sub-divisional magistrate, Jammu South, told reporters here.

He said after getting the tokens, the pilgrims can get themselves registered for the Yatra on Tuesday and undertake the pilgrimage beginning July 2 from the Jammu base camp in Bhagwati Nagar.

“The registration will begin tomorrow at three centres — Vaishnavi Dham, Panchayat Bhawan and Mahajan Sabha. This is the only centre from where devotees can get the token. The centre opens at 7 am,” he said.

The SDM said the per-day quota of tokens and registration is 2,000 each, and the counters will remain open till the daily quota is exhausted.

Ahead of the Yatra, the administration conducted a successful dry run of the convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway to ensure a safe and trouble-free yatra, officials said.

Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police Bhim Sen Tuti accompanied the convoy, which left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu around 4.30 am.