SRINAGAR: The annual Amarnath Yatra has been suspended until third August in the interest of pilgrim safety, officials said on Friday. The decision comes amid ongoing “urgent repair and maintenance works” being carried out on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes following recent heavy rains, reports Daily Excelsior.
According to officials, the pilgrimage remained suspended from the Pahalgam route on Friday morning, with no new batch of pilgrims allowed to proceed toward the Holy Cave shrine. While the yatra was initially permitted from the Baltal route, it was later suspended due to worsening weather conditions.
Movement of pilgrims from the Bagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu also remained halted for the second consecutive day.
“In light of the recent heavy rains, urgent repair and maintenance works are necessary on the Baltal axis of the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra route,” said Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri. “For the safety of the yatris, the Yatra will remain suspended from the Baltal route on August 3 as well,” he added.
Bidhuri added that both Pahalgam and Baltal axes have experienced significant rainfall, rendering the tracks unsafe for travel. Restoration work has already begun on the Pahalgam route.
The pilgrimage was initially suspended on both routes on Wednesday following torrential rains that made the tracks hazardous. Earlier, on July 17, the yatra had also been paused due to heavy rainfall at the base camps in Kashmir.
So far, over 4.05 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Holy Cave shrine this year since July 2 when the first batch 1,44,124 yatris have departed from the Jammu base camp for the Kashmir Valley. Last year, more than 5.10 lakh devotees visited the shrine, which houses a naturally formed ice lingam symbolizing Lord Shiva.
