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For second day, Amarnath Yatra from Jammu remains suspended
The annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir has been suspended for the second day in a row due to inclement weather and road closures. Over 3,000 vehicles and nearly 6,000 pilgrims are stranded along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The weather is expected to improve from Monday onwards.
The annual Amarnath Yatra remained suspended from Jammu City for the second straight day on Sunday. “No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to leave Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar for the onward journey to the holy cave due to inclement weather,” said a police officer. Though NHAI and other agencies have pressed into service their men and machinery to repair the affected stretches of Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban, traffic remained suspended on the highway for the second straight day.
Consequently, over 3,000 vehicles were left stranded at various places in Udhampur, Nagrota, Kud, Batote, Chenani, Nashri, Katra Domail stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. A road caved in between Tunnel 3 and 5 in the Ramban district on Saturday following heavy rains.
The 250-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country.
Nearly 6,000 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims are also stranded at Ramban in different lodgment centres where the Ramban district administration has made arrangements for their boarding and lodging. Ramban deputy magistrate Mussarat Islam said, “All possible steps are being taken to ensure that stranded passengers don’t face any hassles”.
“The Amarnath Yatra was suspended yesterday due to inclement weather. We have all the facilities available for the pilgrims here at the Yatri Niwas. We are taking all possible steps to ensure that the pilgrims don’t face any problems. The yatris will only be asked to resume their pilgrimage once there is an improvement in the weather and vehicular traffic between Jammu and Kashmir divisions is restored,” Islam added.
Army has also sheltered more than 700 Amarnath pilgrims at its camp in Qazigund in Anantnag district after they were stranded due to heavy rainfall in the valley. Ramban SSP Mohita Sharma said, “A stretch of NH 44 (Jammu-Srinagar national highway) caved in at Seri in Ramban this morning. NH is closed. People are advised to stay away from catchment area of Chenab and they are advised to check traffic updates from traffic control units.” The MeT department, however, has forecast improvement in the weather conditions from Monday onwards.
“There shall be overall improvement expected from Monday. On Monday, the weather will remain cloudy with light rains at isolated places. From Tuesday till Saturday, the weather will remain dry,” said a MeT spokesperson.
However, the Met department issued a red warning for Kathua, Samba and other lower catchment areas of Jammu region for the next 24 hours. “There is a risk of flashflood due to continuous rains. The People are advised to stay alert for the next 24 hours,” he said.
Srinagar received rainfall of 1.0mm, Qazigund 31.8mm, Pahalgam 17.4mm, Kupwara 0.0mm, Kokernag 34.0mm, Gulmarg 3.0mm, Banihal 28.2mm, Batote 58.8mm, Katra 19.2 mm, and Bhaderwah 125.1mm during the past 24 hours until 0830 hours on Sunday, the MeT office said.
Pilgrimage resumes in Kashmir
SRINAGAR The emerging flood like situation abated in Kashmir while stranded pilgrims were allowed to proceed for Amarmath Yatra after weather improved significantly in the Valley on Sunday. Officials said that as the rains stopped and weather cleared up, the authorities allowed the Amarnath pilgrims who were stranded on the route from Pahalgam side particularly at Sheshnag to resume towards the cave shrine after two days. They said that the pilgrims using helicopter services were also allowed to perform the yatra. Similarly, the stranded yatris from Baltal side were also allowed to perform the pilgrimage after weather cleared up. “The pilgrimage is expected to resume fully from both base camps from Monday if weather continues to remain fair,” said an official.
