Marking a significant milestone, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has expanded the road connectivity to the holy shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir, making the holy cave been accessible by motorable road.
In a move expected to make the pilgrimage more comfortable and accessible for devotees, the widening of the road from Dumail to the Amarnath cave via Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir has been completed, with the first set of vehicles reaching the shrine, the officials had said. They also lauded the BRO saying that the personnel completed the formidable task and created history by expanding road connectivity up to the Amarnath cave shrine.
While sharing a video showing the journey of the vehicles to reach the Amarnath cave on X, the BRO said, “Project Beacon is involved in restoration and improvement of Amarnath Yatra tracks. Border Roads personnel completed the formidable task and created history with first set of vehicles reaching the holy cave.”
Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government’s Public Works Department (PWD) was maintaining the Baltal shrine track in Ganderbal district and the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) was maintaining the Pahalgam shrine route in Anantnag district.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government’s Public Works Department (PWD) was maintaining the Baltal shrine track in Ganderbal district and the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) was maintaining the Pahalgam shrine route in Anantnag district.
{{/usCountry}}In September last year, the Amarnath Yatra tracks were handed over to the BRO for both maintenance and upgradation.
However, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) criticised the development terming it as the “biggest crime” committed to the faith of Hindus.
“This is not history, it's the biggest crime one can commit to Hinduism and its faith in nature. Hinduism is all about immersing in spiritual mother nature, that's why our pilgrimages are in the lap of the Himalayas,” PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said in a post on X.
He further said turning religious pilgrimages into picnic spots for “mere political gains” is worth condemnation. “We have seen the wrath of God in Joshimath, Kedarnath and yet we are learning no lessons instead inviting a catastrophe in Kashmir,” he added.
The BJP was quick to respond to Bhan and PDP saying laying of the concrete road up to the holy cave shrine is being done after proper Environmental Impact Assessment and no trees have been cut during the entire process.
“With the shrine of Baba Amarnath, lakhs of people have their faith. PDP by opposing and finding faults in the road stretch is trying to repeat the 2008 land row, but people are wise enough and won’t fall prey to politics of deceit again,” the BJP’s Jammu-Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur said.
Located 141 km from Jammu and Kashmir's capital Srinagar and at an altitude of 12,756 feet above sea level, the holy shrine lies in the Ladar Valley, which is covered by glaciers, and snow-capped mountains for most of the year. Annually, thousands of devotees participate in the Amarnath Yatra, and this year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the holy shrine.
(With inputs from agencies)