Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 9: In a significant decision aimed at benefiting the pilgrims of Shri Amarnath ji shrine, reaching directly here without compulsory registration, the administration has decided to open three registration counters at the lodgment centres within the City limits.
However, the authorities have made it clear that the on spot registration would be conditional—one that the quota for the dates sought by the pilgrims should be available and second the yatris must produce the Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) from the designated doctors.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the authorities have identified Vaishnavi Dham at Railway Station, Sangam Community Centre at Railway Station and Ram Mandir at Purani Mandi for on-spot registration.
The Ram Mandir has been kept for registration exclusively for Sadhus while two other registration centres—Vaishnavi Dham and Sangam Community Hall would be open for all.
According to sources, the pilgrims would get on spot registration only for the dates for which the quota was available. “The registration would be denied to the pilgrims if the quota of 15,000 registration per day had already exhausted,’’ they said. Moreover, they added, the pilgrims would have to fulfill all formalities for the registration, prescribed by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) including production of CHC, which would be valid from the doctors authorized by the SASB only.
The SASB has fixed the quota of 15,000 registration of pilgrims per day for annual Amarnath yatra starting June 28 till August 21. Of registration quota, 7500 yatris would be registered per day for each route of shorter Baltal track and traditional Chandanwari track.
The pilgrims visiting the cave shrine by air would be in addition to 15,000 registration of yatris per day.
So far, about 2.7 lakh yatris have registered themselves with different banks across the country. Admitting that registration process was very slow this year mainly due to strict implementation of the SASB guidelines, which had been framed keeping in view health related problems of the pilgrims, sources said they were anticipating rush of unregistered pilgrims at Jammu as well as base camps of Baltal and Chandanwari.
However, the SASB has already directed the police and para-military authorities, who would be manning the gates at Baltal and Chandanwari to ensure that no unregistered pilgrims managed to undertake the journey. The Shrine Board was strict on registration, which comprised the CHC as over 100 pilgrims were killed during the yatra in 2012 and 2011.
This year, the Shrine Board with the assistance of the Government would be setting up Medical Aid Centres (MACs) after every two kilometers on both the tracks for benefit of the pilgrims.
Sources maintained that even the Sadhus wouldn’t be granted registration till they produced the CHC of authorized Physicians.
Previously, only Jammu and Kashmir Bank had been registering Shri Amarnath pilgrims while during past couple of years, the SASB had also incorporated YES Bank, a private sector bank in the list of pilgrims’ registration. Last year, some Cooperative Bank had also registered the yatris.
This year, the SASB has added State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and HDFC Bank, who have also been authorized to register the pilgrims for Shri Amarnath yatra.
All five banks including two in private sectors (YES Bank and HDFC) have designated branches countrywide with fixed quota for registration of the pilgrims from March 18. A maximum of 8.80 lakh pilgrims could be registered for 55 days long pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath ji shrine, located at a height of 13,500 feet from sea level in Anantnag district of the Kashmir Valley.
The Banks and the States have been allotted quota of registration.
The SASB has already decided to discontinue the process of on-line registration as the pilgrims had grossly misused the facility last year.
The Shrine Board has increased number of registration counters across the country from last year’s 276 to 422 this year.
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