SRINAGAR: A fresh batch of 1,605 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early on Friday for the Baltal base camp to undertake the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra, despite the suspension of traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) for restoration works.
According to the Joint Police Control Room, the 24th batch left at 2:42 am in a convoy of 54 vehicles comprising 38 buses, seven medium motor vehicles (MMVs) and nine light motor vehicles (LMVs).
The batch included 1,215 men, 335 women, 48 sadhus, five sadhvis and two children accompanying sadhus.
With the departure of the latest convoy, the total number of pilgrims who have left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the pilgrimage this year has reached 1,35,806.
The departure took place even as vehicular movement on NH-44 remained suspended following orders issued by the district administrations of Udhampur and Ramban to facilitate road restoration, debris clearance and slope stabilisation works at vulnerable stretches to ensure the safe reopening of the highway.
