Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 18: Ist batch of annual Shri Budha Amarnath yatra is leaving for Poonch from here on July 20.
A large number of pilgrims from various parts of the State and also from outside, will leave for Poonch in special buses and other vehicles on Friday morning. The Yatra will be officially flagged-off by the DyCM, Tara Chand, Punjab Health Minister, L K Chawla and other senior officials of the Divisional Administration from here in the morning. The pilgrims will have night halt in Poonch city and next morning they will leave for Mandi town where Shri Budha Amarnath shrine is located. On the same day, after performing Darshan, they will return to Jammu.
A grand reception will be accorded to the pilgrims by the State Administration tomorrow evening at the main Shri Amarnath/ Budha Amarnath base camp at Bhagwati Nagar here. Dy Chief Minister, Tara Chand will be the chief guest, Punjab Health Minister Laxmi Kanta Chawala and former Rajmata of erstwhile, Vijaya Nagram State, Chander Kanta Devi will be the special guests. Besides them, Divisional Commissioner Jammu Pardeep Gupta, IGP Jammu, Deputy Commissioner Sanjeev Verma, state president of VHP Dr Ramakant Dubey, president Shri Amarnathji and Budha Amarnathi Yatra Nias Surinder Aggarwal will also be present on the occasion besides prominent citizens.
The pilgrims coming from various parts of the State and outside will assemble at Bhagwati Nagar base camp here tomorrow. The ‘Swagat Samaroh’ will start at 5.30 pm. The yatra will be flagged off from Jammu base camp by the DyCM, Punjab Health Minister and senior officers in the Divisional Administration on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, District Administration Poonch has made elaborate arrangements for the comfortable stay of pilgrims and their security. The Addl DC Anwar Hussain and SSP Poonch, Shamsheer Hussain jointly reviewed the yatra arrangements in a meeting held today. Senior officers from the District Administration attended the meet. Representatives from Mandir Akhara Committee, VHP and SD Sabha were also present in the meeting. Charri Mubarak will be taken from Akhara Mandir Poonch to Mandi after performing special Pooja by devotees and grand priest on Ist August.
The Administration has made arrangement for the stay of the Yatris at Govt Higher Secondary School Poonch, Geeta Bhawan and Industrial Training Institute Poonch. Round the clock Langar will remain operational there during yatra. PHE, PDD and CAPD officials have been directed to ensure better services during yatra. Additrional security personnel have been deployed in Poonch city, Mandi town and the Yatra route. Several social and religious organizations have installed ‘Langars’ along yatra route including Rajouri town.
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