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Amarnath Yatra resumes; 4k leave for shrine
Four days after rain-triggered flash floods claimed 16 lives and left around 30 pilgrims missing, the Amarnath Yatra resumed on Monday, with around 4,000 pilgrims setting off from the base camps
Four days after rain-triggered flash floods claimed 16 lives and left around 30 pilgrims missing, the Amarnath Yatra resumed on Monday, with around 4,000 pilgrims setting off from the base camps of the 3,880-metre high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
The yatra was partially suspended after the flashfloods, and no batch left from Jammu on Sunday due to inclement weather. The 43-day annual pilgrimage, which started on June 30 after a two-year hiatus, is held from two routes – the Baltal route and the Pahalgam route.
An official said, “As many as 4,026 pilgrims left in the twelfth batch from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in a convoy of 110 vehicles, which was guarded by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).”
As many as 1,016 pilgrims heading for Baltal were the first to leave the Bhagwati Nagar camp in 35 vehicles at around 3.30am, followed by the second convoy of 75 vehicles, carrying 2,425 pilgrims for Pahalgam at 4.30am. A fresh batch of pilgrims was also allowed from Nunwan base camp on Pahalgam route, officials said, adding that the pilgrims are scheduled to reach the cave shrine on Tuesday morning.
So far, around 1.13 lakh pilgrims have offered prayers at the cave shrine.
Search for missing persons
The army has carved out an alternate route to the cave shrine, bypassing the water channel that caused havoc after heavy rainfall on July 8.
“Specialised mountain and avalanche rescue teams have been trying to find signs of life at the snow bridge near the cave complex. After it was decided that the pilgrimage was to be resumed from July 11, it was decided that an alternate route to the cave shrine needed to be created far from the water channel,” defence spokesperson Emron Masuvi said, adding that the troops worked overnight to level the ground.
The army has also constructed a makeshift staircase from sandbags outside the cave as the path leading to the cave shrine was damaged due to landslides. “In view of the yatra resuming from the Pahalgam Axis, a stairway towards approach to the holy cave has been made overnight to facilitate yatris,” the Army’s Chinar Corps tweeted.
Meanwhile, a rescue operation supervised by army and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued near the cave and its adjoining areas. SDRF director Haseeb-ur-Rehman said, “We are trying to trace the missing persons.”
Air Commodore Pankaj Mittal said that during the rescue mission, Mi-17 V5 and Cheetah helicopters airlifted 20 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, along with six sniffer dogs, from Srinagar to help trace the missing people. “29 tonnes of material and 123 devotees were airlifted by the IAF,” he said.
Almost all injured pilgrims, who were being treated at SKIMS Hospital, Srinagar, have been discharged. “Only three yatris still remain in the hospital and they are stable. They, too, will be discharged in a day or two,” medical superintendent Farooq Jan said.
2 from Andhra Pradesh missing
The Andhra Pradesh government has confirmed that two of their pilgrims were missing, while 35 others, who were earlier reported missing, were on their way home. The missing persons were identified as Gunisetty Sudha and Kotha Parvathi of Rajahmundry.
Now, book chopper from Srinagar to Panjtarni
The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) on Monday said helicopter ticket booking from Srinagar to Panjtarni had been opened for pilgrims. Earlier, Heli booking was available from Srinagar to Neelgrat or Pahalgam and from there the yatris would need separate ticket for Panjtarni. “Now through the link www.heliservices.jksasb.nic.in direct tickets can be booked from Srinagar to Panjtarni and Panjtarni to Srinagar. One-way fare from Srinagar to Panjtarni is ₹14,500,” a government spokesperson said.
