Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 11: Annual pilgrimage to holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath ji is all set to start on time this year on July 2 in view of less snowfall last winter that will help the authorities in early clearance operation on both the tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal even as advance recee teams of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) deputed to the cave shrine have returned obtaining pictures of the shrine area and the track that would help administration in undertaking snow clearance operation.
Official sources told the Excelsior that 1.25 lakh pilgrims across the country have registered themselves so far for Amarnath ji yatra through different designated branches of various banks and the number was increasing with every passing day. As many as 8.85 lakh pilgrims were this year entitled to undertake the holy pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath ji shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas from both the tracks.
Registration of the pilgrims through designated branches of various banks had started on March 1 and will continue few days before end of the yatra or till the quota lasts.
Sources said registration of pilgrims would pick up by the middle of May when the people start planning their yatra after start of summer vacations in various States. As per the Amarnath yatra schedule, 15,000 pilgrims can undertake journey on one day-7500 each from Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) tracks after proper registration following due procedure including submission of Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC).
As pilgrimage this year will last 59 days (July 2-August 29), 8.85 lakh pilgrims can register themselves and undertake the yatra. However, it has been generally felt that the holy cave shrine of Lord Shiva in South Kashmir Himalayas, located at a height of about 13,000 feet from the seal level, attracts heavy rush of pilgrims during initial days which then starts decreasing.
According to sources, advances recee teams of the SASB have returned after visiting holy cave shrine and the tracks and bringing in pictures of snow clad mountains along both tracks. The teams comprised well trained mountaineers and some Nomads, who can easily trek through snow clad mountains. They had traditionally been doing this job for the SASB.
“The photographs of cave shrine and the track will help the authorities to undertake snow clearance operations and make other arrangements for the pilgrims well in advance,” sources said, adding the pictures have revealed that snow this year had been less on both Pahalgam and Baltal tracks as compared to the last year.
The less accumulation of snowfall on the twin tracks, according to sources, will help in early clearance of snow and making the track fit for the pilgrims leading to timely start of the yatra on July 2. During past few years, the yatra from Pahalgam track had to be delayed due to delay in clearance of snow by the authorities.
Deployment of security forces for sanitization operations around the cave shrine and tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal would start in the middle of June as it would take 15 days to security forces to sanitize the track and deploy the forces for security of the pilgrims.
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