SRINAGAR: The Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) on Thursday urged pilgrims to undertake the annual Amarnath Yatra only after completing advance registration, saying the number of devotees permitted on the pilgrimage route each day is capped in accordance with directions of the Supreme Court.
In a public advisory, the Board said advance registration had been opened well before the commencement of the Yatra through designated bank branches across the country and online platforms, with a majority of pilgrims already securing their registration in advance.
The Board said the facility for Tatkal (on-the-spot) registration is available only in limited numbers and cannot accommodate the large number of devotees arriving in Jammu and Kashmir without prior registration.
It advised unregistered pilgrims reaching the Union Territory to wait for their turn and undertake the pilgrimage only on the date allotted by the administration.
The advisory also noted that some registered pilgrims were arriving in Jammu and Kashmir before the travel date mentioned on their registration permits.
Clarifying the procedure, the Board said no pilgrim would be allowed to proceed on the Yatra route before the registered date and appealed to devotees to plan their journey accordingly.
Reiterating that every pilgrim would be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage, the Board said this would be subject to the prescribed daily ceiling on pilgrims and the carrying capacity of the route.
The daily limit, it said, has been set in compliance with the Supreme Court’s directions to ensure the safety of pilgrims and the smooth conduct of the Yatra.
The Board appealed to all devotees to follow the prescribed registration procedure, maintain order and cooperate with the administration so that the pilgrimage can be conducted safely and efficiently for everyone.
