Amarnath Yatra resumes via Baltal after four days

From Baltal base camp, it takes six to eight hours to reach the holy cave and pilgrims have to trek for around 14km. Baltal that is located in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and is considered a shorter but harder trek towards the cave shrine

Amarnath Yatra was resumed via Baltal trek after four days of suspension as about 7,000 pilgrims left towards the cave shrine in the wee hours of Tuesday.

Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Response Force personnel conduct the search and rescue operation at the flashflood-affected areas of the Amarnath cave site on Tuesday. (ANI)

From Baltal base camp, it takes six to eight hours to reach the holy cave and pilgrims have to trek for around 14km. Baltal that is located in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district and is considered a shorter but harder trek towards the cave shrine.

“Yatra was resumed after four days via Baltal axis today morning,” Ganderbal deputy commissioner said in a tweet.

On Monday, yatra was resumed via Pahalgam trek in south Kashmir with thousands of pilgrims leaving towards the shrine. The army has built a new pathway near the cave, bypassing the area that was swept by the gushing waters on Friday evening when thousands of yatris were on way to the holy cave.

On Friday afternoon, yatra was halted after dozens of pilgrims died and injured due to heavy rains lashing the area that caused flood-like situation near the cave shrine and its adjacent region.

Sixteen people have died and more than 40 are still missing with officials terming the chances of their survival bleak.

“As the yatra has resumed, rescue teams are still trying to find the missing yatris. Though chances of survival in hostile conditions are remote, we are still hopeful,” said an SDRF official.