Amarnath Yatra 2023: Over three lakh pilgrims have so far registered for the longest Amarnath Yatra of 62 days, the Shrine Board said in Srinagar on Wednesday (June 28). Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) CEO Mandeep Kumar Bhandari said the number of registrations so far is 10 per cent more than last year.
He said that the Shrine Board and the Union Territory Administration are ready to welcome the pilgrims. The annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas is set to begin on July 1.
The first batch of pilgrims is leaving for the valley from Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on June 30 (Friday).
Bhandari said, “The yatra will start from July 1 and will continue till August 31. This year’s pilgrimage will be of 62 days and will be the longest ever.”
He said, so far more than three lakh pilgrims have registered with the Board through various modes of registration.
The CEO said that travelers up to the age of 70 years can undertake the pilgrimage, which can be done through two routes from Baltal – which involves trekking of 14.5 km – and Chandanwari – a 32 km trek to the holy cave shrine at high altitude . of 13,000 ft.
This year the yatra track has been improved on both the routes. Bhandari said that the tracks have been widened and hand railings have been installed.
“Both the yatra routes have been illuminated for smooth movement of the pilgrims,” he added.
The CEO said that helmets have been provided to the pilgrims at sensitive places to protect themselves from stones and landslides during heavy rains. He said mountain rescue teams have been deployed on the way to the cave shrine for quick evacuation.
Keeping in mind the death of 15 people in flash floods last year, Bhandari said that no pilgrim would be allowed to stay near the cave shrine during the night. Video walls along with public address system have been installed in all the camps to inform the passengers of important information.
He said that a major effort has been made to provide telecom on the entire track wherein OFC cables have been laid by the service providers on both the tracks so that internet facility and telecom facility is available round the clock.
Bhandari said the Shrine Board, Rural Development Department, various municipal corporations and development authorities have taken a joint initiative to set up around 5,100 separate toilets for the yatra this year.
(with inputs from agencies)
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