SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday undertook the pilgrimage to Amarnath shrine via the Baltal track, becoming the first Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) in recent times to reach the Holy Cave through this route.
During the visit, the Lieutenant Governor reviewed the ongoing maintenance, upgradation, and widening works along the Yatra track and conducted an on-ground assessment of safety measures implemented by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). He praised the agencies for their “unprecedented” efforts to ensure a safe and seamless pilgrimage experience for devotees.
Highlighting the post-2024 Yatra developments, the LG said special attention has been given to developing secure pilgrimage tracks on both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes. “An alternate route from Chandanwari to Pissutop, equipped with safety hand railings and proper surfacing, will be ready for Yatra 2025 to assist foot pilgrims and improve management along the Chandanwari axis,” he announced.
On the Pahalgam side, safety hand railings have already been installed at vulnerable stretches. The authorities have also constructed gabion and breast walls, deployed ILC fencing, and installed wire mesh to mitigate risks posed by shooting stones across critical locations including Railpathri-Brarimarg, Kalimata-Lower Cave, and Panjtarni-Sangam-Holy Cave, as well as the Chandanwari–Pissutop–Zozibal stretch.
Additionally, granular sub-base material has been applied to slippery sections on both tracks. ILCB tiles have also been laid across hazardous stretches such as Domail–Railpathri–Brari on the Baltal route and Chandanwari–Pissutop–Zozibal–MG Top on the Pahalgam route.
