Arrangements for Amarnath yatra being given final touch

Avtar Bhat

JAMMU, June 28: With first batch of 59 days long Amarnath yatra leaving for holy cave on July 1 from the Base Camp of Shri Amarnath Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar here, the arrangements for the annual pilgrimage are being given the final shape by the authorities.
The entire Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar has been fully sanitized with CRPF jawans, JKP men and security agencies taking over the charge of Yatri Niwas to ensure fool proof security of the pilgrims. Besides, the four companies of 38 Battalion CRPF, JKP jawans and security agencies have installed their tents in the Yatri Niwas and taken the possession of security inside and outside the Yatri Niwas.
To ensure fool proof security at Yatri Niwas the CRPF has also installed bunkers at different places outside it. In addition to it two more companies of CRPF are manning the Yatri Niwas from Asa Ram Bapu’s Ashram.
The sheds for langers etc outside the Yatri Niwas have been installed and to ensure better security of the pilgrims, the entrance point from main road of Bhagwati Nagar up to the Yatri Niwas has been fully barricaded.
The J&K Tourism Department which is assisting the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in smooth conduct of yatra has also installed the sign boards and maps for the guidance of yatris inside the Yatri Niwas and outside it. Besides the Tourism Department has pressed in service various private telecom operators to issue the Dos and Donts for pilgrims. These telecom agencies have installed boards containing the route maps of the tracks from Pahalgam to holy cave and Baltal to holy cave, route map of NH1 from Lakhanpur (Kathua) to onwards and route map of Jammu city.
According to sources, the Yatra tracks from both sides of Baltal and Pahalgam are through for pilgrimage and all the damaged patches  have been renovated. Besides, the security forces have also taken their positions on the tracks to ensure fool proof security. However, the holy cave area is still covered with snow, sources added.
The security forces have been also installed on NH right from Lakhanpur to base camps in Kashmir valley, sources added.
Meanwhile, the hustle and bustle has started on both sides of yatra tacks in Nunwan, Pahalgam  and Chandanwari from Pahalgam side and Manigam, Sonamarg and Baltal from Baltal track with ponywallas, labourers, members of trading community and Langers  have started reaching there and installing sheds for the yatra arrangements.
According to officials engaged for yatra arrangements the yatris will be allowed entry in the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas from June 30 so that they can proceed for the holy pilgrimage from here on July 1. Officially the yatra will start from Baltal and Pahalgam on July 2 as per the Board decision.
The Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar has 13 halls with the capacity of accommodating 100 pilgrims per hall. Besides 200 to 250 pilgrims can be accommodated in a shed outside the Yatri Niwas.
The arrangements for boarding and lodging of yatris have also been made enroute at various places in case of any emergency, sources said.
The Sewadars of Shri Shakti Vaishno Sewa Mandal New Delhi and Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray  which is running a joint free Langer at Yatri Niwas have reached the Yatri Niwas and placed the material there. The president of the Mandal Jagat Mohan Vishist said that free langer will be available to pilgrims round the clock. He said there will be no bar for the number of pilgrims taking the free langer and the Sewa Dars will serve every pilgrim who reaches Yatri Niwas at any time.
He said the authorities have made all arrangements for pilgrims in the Yatri Niwas but some finishing touches like minor repairs to windows and doors and laying of water pipes are needed.
Meanwhile, according to sources, over two lakh pilgrims have so far been  registered on various branches of J&K Bank, PNB and Yes Bank in 29 States of the country since the registration of pilgrims started on March 1, this year.
The SASB has also kept the provision of current registration for pilgrims at different places in the State. It included TRC Nowgam in Srinagar, Jammu Hatt at Jammu, Gita Bhawan/ Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi, Vaishnavi Dham and Saraswati Dham in Jammu. Besides Baba Amarnath Yatri Niyas is opening one more counter for current registration at VHP Headquarters Shakti Ashram, Jammu.
But Baba Amarnath Yatri Niyas is not satisfied with the arrangements. The number of pilgrims registered is very less, said senior leader of Niyas and patron VHP, Dr Rama Kant Dubey. He said the Board has kept a provision for 16000 pilgrims performing darshan daily in holy cave and this way the total number of pilgrims to perform darshan in cave shrine should touch over nine lakh but the number of pilgrims so far registered is over two lakh only.
He said the condition of NH is very bad and at Toll Plaza Nagrota the queues of vehicles are seen upto two kilometers daily at present. What will be the condition after the yatra begins on July 1, he asked? When the NH has not been fully restored by the authorities how can one trust them that they might have fully restored the tracks, he added.
Meanwhile, the SASB has made it clear that the number of pilgrims for on spot registration will be strictly as per the date wise and route wise vacancies available to be intimated by the Board authorities to the State Government authorities entrusted this job.
The Board has also made it clear that the on pot registration and issuance of Yatra permits will be done on first come and first serve basis. The yatris, however, have to submit application form and compulsory health certificate to obtain on spot yatra permit. Besides, no one below the age of 13 years or above the age of 75 years and no women with more than six weeks pregnancy will be registered for the yatra. While yatris have to pay Rs 150 per pilgrim as on spot registration fee, the Sadhus will be registered free of cost.

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