SRINAGAR: The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has opened online helicopter booking for pilgrims, while private cab operators in Jammu have decided to provide free pick-up and drop-off services between the Railway Station and Shri Amarnath Ji Base Camp for visiting pilgrims. Flocks of Sadhus from across the country have also started arriving at the base camps in the winter capital of Jammu.
The 62-day pilgrimage is set to begin on 1st July, taking place along two routes—the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the shorter 14-km, but steep, Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.
Official sources have confirmed that online helicopter booking services have commenced for the Srinagar, Baltal, and Pahalgam routes. It has been reported that this year’s yatra fare has not been increased. Currently, approximately 300,000 people have registered online for the pilgrimage, with an expected total of five lakh devotees visiting the cave shrine this year.
Helicopter tickets can be booked through the official website of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). For the Baltal route, the service operators are Global Vectra Helicorp Limited and Arrow Aircraft Private Limited, while Heritage Aviation Pvt Ltd will operate for the Pahalgam route. The services of M S Pawan Hans Limited operators will be available from Srinagar to the holy cave.
In a remarkable gesture, the Jammu Province Tourist Taxi Operator Federation (JPTTOF), along with the Taxi Union Railway Station, has decided to offer free pick-up and drop-off services to the pilgrims. Inderjeet Sharma, Chairman of the cab union, stated that taxis will be stationed at the Railway Station throughout the 62-day duration of the yatra to transport pilgrims from the station to the Base Camp. He expressed gratitude to the pilgrims and mentioned that the extended free service is a gesture of appreciation.
Over 200 Sadhus, including women, have already arrived at Purani Mandi’s Ram Mandir, the base camp. They are eager to offer prayers at the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas, where a naturally formed ice Shivling is housed.
The first batch of pilgrims, including a group of Sadhus, is scheduled to depart for the yatra from Jammu on 30th June. Adequate arrangements have been made for the Sadhus, including facilities such as coolers and air conditioners to combat the heat. Registration counters will open on 30th June to facilitate the Sadhus. Many of the Sadhus have undertaken the yatra multiple times and have expressed their intentions to pray for everlasting peace during their visit to the shrine.
The administration has finalised arrangements and established five ‘Tatkal’ (urgent) registration counters at prominent locations in Jammu city. Additionally, plans for “Jammu Darshan” have been made to boost tourism and attract more visitors to Jammu and Kashmir. It has been reported that approximately 300,000 pilgrims have already registered online for the yatra.
Preparations to welcome the pilgrims are in full swing, and instructions have been given to complete all arrangements by 20th June along the route from the gateway at Lakhanpur to Kashmir. (KNO)
