Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU,Aug 5: Though Amarnath yatra from here to twin base camps of Nunwan-Pahalgam and Baltal remained suspended due to two days bandh call given by separatists, over 1500 pilgrims paid obeisance in the holy cave of Swami Amarnath Ji situated in deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag on the 39th day of darshan today.
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According to an officer on yatra duty, 1529 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave which is at an altitude of 3880 meters above the sea level from twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan-Pahalgam.
Till date 2,72,815 pilgrims performed darshan in cave shrine since the two -month long yatra started on June 28, he added.
The authorities, however, have suspended movement of all vehicles carrying Amarnath pilgrims on the National Highway, the only all-weather road connecting Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, today for security reasons following two-day strike called by separatists against ploys to abrogate Article 35-A.
No fresh pilgrim was allowed to move towards Kashmir from Bhagwati Nagar, Yatri Niwas here following the instructions by the authorities, official sources said.
There was also an advisory not to allow any vehicle of pilgrims, they said. Similarly, pilgrims, who were scheduled to travel from Baltal base camp in Central Kashmir to Jammu today have also been stopped at Manigam camp.
No pilgrim was also allowed to leave Nunwan -Pahalgam base camp for Jammu for security reasons, they added. But over 400 pilgrims were allowed to leave for Jammu from Baltal base camp early this morning, sources said, adding they were later stopped at Manigam camp due to security reasons.
He said that no pilgrim will be allowed to leave for Jammu from twin base camps tomorrow also.
However, sources said the pilgrims are being provided all the facilities at these camps and will be allowed to leave for Jammu as and when a green signal is received.
As per reports 593 pilgrims left from Baltal base camp to holy cave for darshan early this morning while 326 left for holy cave from Nunwan-Pahalgam base camp via Chandanwari track.
The pilgrims camping at transit camps of Sheshnag and Panchtarni also left for their onwards sojourn early this morning.
The weather on yatra routes was pleasant and yatra moved smoothly from both the tracks. However there has now been considerable decline in the number of pilgrims visiting the holy cave for last fortnight now, sources said.
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