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Online registration for Amarnath pilgrimage to start from April
Jammu divisional commissioner Raghav Langer reviewed the arrangements for upcoming Amarnath pilgrimage at a meeting of deputy commissioners concerned and allied departments
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) on Thursday announced the commencement of registration of pilgrims for the annual pilgrimage to South Kashmir Himalayas via online mode from April.
The yatra remained suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic. Radio frequency identification (RFID)-based tracking will be put in place for the movement of vehicles during the pilgrimage this year.
In this context, Jammu divisional commissioner Raghav Langer on Thursday reviewed the arrangements for upcoming pilgrimage at a meeting of deputy commissioners concerned and allied departments.
“Online registration will start through banks in the month of April with a limit of 20,000 registrations fixed per day, while on-the-spot registrations will also be held at designated counters during yatra days,” Langer said at the meeting.
The meeting was attended by director tourism, Jammu, Vivekanand Rai; DIG CRPF; SSP Jammu, Chandan Kohli; SSP security, additional CEO Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, Rahul Singh and other officials, while deputy commissioners of Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and Ramban along with officers concerned participated through videoconferencing.
Langer emphasised upon the need to make adequate arrangements well in advance by working in close coordination for smooth conduct of the yatra.
Directions were issued for sanitation and starting the work on revamping Yatri Niwas, toilet complex and langar sheds at Bhagwati Nagar.
The provision for transportation of yatris, emergency/ disaster management, setting up of langars, communication centres, medical facilities, deployment of medical team at Yatri Niwas and en-route national highway, sanitation, temporary toilets, mobile toilet vans in Bhagwati Nagar area, uninterrupted supply of electricity, adequate water supply, and traffic arrangements were also discussed in the meeting.
Additional CEO of the SASB said that a 3,000-bed Yatri Niwas has been constructed at Chanderkote in Ramban district by the Shrine Board and it will give major boost to the pilgrims lodgement capacity along the yatra route.
Pertinently, due to Covid pandemic, the annual yatra in 2020 and 2021 was conducted on symbolic basis, so this year it is expected that the number of pilgrims may be high as compared to the previous times.
Accordingly, Langer directed deputy commissioners for increasing accommodation capacities, holding spaces in their respective districts.
The DCs were directed to identify suitable places for langars and accommodation of devotees, vehicles holding in their respective districts. The DCs were also directed to ensure availability of CCTVs, lighting and genset arrangements at langar sites.
The additional CEO of shrine board said that to ensure the safety of pilgrims, the board has decided to use RFID for tracking movement of vehicles and pilgrims during this year’s pilgrimage to the revered shrine. The RFID tag cards will be issued to all pilgrims, he added.
