SRINAGAR: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra resumed on Saturday after a six-day suspension caused by adverse weather, with a fresh batch of 6,269 pilgrims departing from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Baltal base camp under tight security, officials said.
The 18th batch of pilgrims was flagged off at around 2.40 a.m. in a convoy of 223 vehicles. According to officials, the batch included 1,470 women, 25 children and 54 sadhus.
Authorities permitted the movement of pilgrims only through the Baltal route, while the traditional Pahalgam route remained closed as a precaution despite the resumption of the pilgrimage.
The Yatra had been suspended on July 19 after persistent rainfall, landslides and unfavourable weather disrupted both the 48-kilometre Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district leading to the 3,880-metre Amarnath cave shrine.
Officials said the pilgrimage resumed after weather conditions improved and traffic was restored on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which had remained affected by landslides and shooting stones, particularly along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas on July 2, a day before the pilgrimage formally commenced on July 3.
According to officials, nearly four lakh devotees have so far offered prayers at the Amarnath cave shrine, while around 1.20 lakh pilgrims have departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu since the beginning of this year’s Yatra.
Multi-layered security arrangements remain in place, with all pilgrim convoys being escorted by security forces to ensure safe passage.
The 57-day Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
