Amarnath Yatra resumes after weather conditions improve
The ongoing annual Amarnath yatra resumed from Pahalgam and Baltal routes on Friday evening after being suspended for a few hours due to heavy rains around the cave shrine.
“The yatra has resumed from both the routes in view of the improvement in the weather condition,” a board official told PTI.
The authorities had suspended the yatra early on Friday morning due to heavy rainfall around the shrine.
However, pilgrims from the Jammu base camp were stopped from proceeding towards the Valley in view of blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway due to landslides at a few places, officials said the next batch will leave on Saturday morning.
“The pilgrims headed for base camps at Baltal and Nunwan are requested to check the status of the yatra with the control room or helpline set up by the SASB before starting,” the official said.
Multiple landslides and incidents of shooting stones, triggered due to heavy rains, from Udhampur to Banihal on the highway, forced the traffic authorities to close the highway, restricting any kind of movement. Incidents of landslides were reported at Panthyal, Gangroo, Chanderkot, Hingni, Peerah Toll plaza at Chenani-Nashri tunnel and near Udhampur at Bani Nullah.
As per weather forecast, the entire yatra route from Jammu to Kashmir up to both base camps, including Pahalgam and Baltal, will experience light showers in the next 24 hours.
Till date, as many as 14,247 pilgrims have performed darshan of
OFFICIALS SAID FRESH BATCH OF PILGRIMS WILL LEAVE FROM THE BASE CAMP IN JAMMU ON SATURDAY MORNING
the ice lingam at the holy cave since the yatra started on Thursday.
PILGRIMS IN HIGH SPIRITS
Even though the third batch of Amarnath pilgrims could not leave Bagwati Nagar base camp, Jammu on Friday, the disruptions failed to dampen their spirits.
“There is nothing to worry, the authorities have taken the decision to suspend the yatra taking our safety and security in account. It is better to be here, then stuck at any isolated location without even basic amenities,” said 32-year-old Sharat Jain of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
He added, “The authorities have made good arrangements here. Though, there are minor hardships, but it not easy to manage around 5,000 persons under one roof.”
Poonam, 37, a resident of New Delhi, who has come along with group of 50 other pilgrims, says she is satisfied with arrangements made by the authorities, but is pained over the killing of security personnel in the Valley.
35-year-old Raj Kumar of Gurugram is critical of the frisking procedure at the base camp. “There is only one line to frisk passengers with luggage or without it. It takes around hour to get in. After standing for an hour in the queue, we thought it was better to stay here.”
31-year-old Rakesh Gaur of Kanpur, who is in the state along with 35 others, is on his second trip. “Rain has delayed our journey, but in a way it is the magic of ‘Bhole Shanker’ who often tests the patience of his disciples.”
“One day does not matter in this pilgrimage. Everyone knows weather plays a key role, but one does not know how will the weather turn out in the Valley,” adds Sunil Narwal, 32, a resident of Haryana’s Sonipat.