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Army rebuilds bridges overnight to clear route for Amarnath Yatris| Video
The annual pilgrimage - to a 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva located in the Himalayas - began on June 30.
Two bridges were repaired overnight in Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian Army's Chinar Corps to clear routes for pilgrims amid the Amarnath Yatra. The damage on the bridges - located near Brarimarg on the Baltal Axis - was caused due to landslides. The Chinar Corps of the Indian Army have been assisting the civil administration for the security of pilgrims and smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra.
The landslides were reported to be triggered by a sudden rise in temperature, resulting in the swelling of streams on the Baltal route.
The annual pilgrimage - to a 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva located in the Himalayas - began on June 30. The pandemic had led to disruptions over the last two years. "On 01 Jul, 02 bridges near Brarimarg on #Baltal Axis were damaged by landslides. #ChinarCorps mobilised assets and reconstructed the bridges overnight for resumption of route and avoiding an over 4 hour detour by Yatris (sic)," the Chinar Corps tweeted.
"The Baltal route is the responsibility of the Counter Insurgency Force - KILO. On the night of June 30/July 1 due to a sudden increase in temperature which resulted in swelling of Nalas near Kalimata on the Baltal route, the bridges at kalamata were washed away," news agency ANI quoted the Army as saying in a press release.
A video shared by the Indian Army showed the military taking part in the reconstruction exercise on a rocky terrain. The video transitions to show the heavy flow of the water on both sides of the bridge.
The civil administration had urged the Chinar Corps for restoration of destroyed bridges. "In a record time frame, the 13 Engineer Regiment of Chinar Corps laid entirely a new bridge in the night against heavy odds of weather and darkness. This resulted in a smooth recommencement of yatra and instilled a sense of safety and security among pilgrims. The act once again established that the Indian Army can deliver anywhere, anytime," ANI quoted the release as saying.
(with ANI inputs)
