Fresh batch of over 7,500 Amarnath pilgrims leaves from Jammu

Amid tight security, a fresh batch of over 7,500 pilgrims left here early Wednesday for the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. The number of pilgrims who have paid obeisance at the cave shine has crossed one lakh.

The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high shrine commenced on July 3 from the Valley via the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km-long Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The yatra will conclude on August 9.

Escorted by CRPF and police personnel, the eighth batch of 7,579 pilgrims, including 5,719 men, 1,577 women and 40 children, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here in 318 vehicles for the twin base camps in Kashmir between 3.25 am and 3.40 am, the officials said.

The first pilgrim convoy, carrying 3,031 pilgrims in 142 vehicles, left for the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, followed by the second convoy of 4,548 pilgrims in 176 vehicles who are undertaking the yatra via the Pahalgam route, they said.

With this, a total of 55,481 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the Valley since July 2 when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.

A festival-like atmosphere prevailed in Jammu with pilgrims thronging markets, community kitchens and lodging centres.

More than 3.5 lakh people have registered online for the pilgrimage so far. Thirty-four accommodation centres have been set up across Jammu, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are being issued to the pilgrims. Twelve counters have been set up for on-the-spot registration.

Arrangements have been made to provide boarding and lodging facilities for over 50,000 people at various lodgement centres across Jammu region, from Lakhanpur to Banihal, they said.

Over 100 lodgement centres have been set up for the purpose, they added.

A total of 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), which is 30 more than previous years, have been deployed for the security of the annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu division this year, a senior police officer said.