AMARNATH YATRA Multistory Yatri Niwas coming up at Chanderkote, to facilitate 4500 pilgrims

Jammu: To facilitate the smooth pilgrimage especially in harsh weather conditions, a multistory Yatri Niwas (Pilgrims Shelter) is coming up at Chanderkote in Ramban district of the Union Territory.
The shelter will accommodate nearly 4500 pilgrims once completed.
“During the Amarnath Yatra, the pilgrims had to face hardships especially when it rains or due to triggering of landslides that leads to closure of Jammu-Srinagar national highway,” an official said.
The complex is being constructed on the pattern of the Jammu’s Bhagwati Nagar based Yatri Niwas—the base camp of Shri Amarnath Yatra.
To accommodate the pilgrims in such a situation, he said that the government is coming up with multistory Yatri Niwas at Chanderkote in Ramban along the highway.
“Due to rains or landslides, the travelers will no longer have to spend the night on the road as before and the facility will soon be ready,” he said and revealed that 4500 people can be accommodated in emergency like situations at the complex.
“The Yatri Niwas is coming up on 23.3 kanals of land with a cost of Rs 32.16 crore and will have a 17-storey dormitory,” the official said.
The Amarnath Yatra was cancelled for two consecutive years in 2020-21 due to COVID pandemic.
“All relief centres are also activated in view of the upcoming winter season and the disaster centers will help in facilitating the stranded passengers in case of sudden road blockade on the National Highway,” he said.
The official further added that the disaster centers will be well equipped with facilities like blankets, heating, gas, medical facilities, food, first aid centre, high mast light and parking.
However, sources in the administration said that the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board is also likely to give nod to construction of concrete (cemented) tracks on twin routes to the Cave Shrine.
“Shri Amarnath Shrine Board is planning to facelift the twin tracks to the Cave Shrine on the lines of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi with maximum facilities for the devotees,” sources said.
“The Amarnath Yatra mostly takes place in the months between June to August, which is a monsoon period in Jammu and Kashmir and the tracks at the time of pilgrimage are slippery and accidents prone,” sources said.
They added that the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board in view of taking all measures into consideration may soon decide to develop cemented/concrete tracks on Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
As per reports, a 12 feet wide track with an additional way for the movement of pedestrians, horses and palanquins will be constructed, sources added.
They said that due to the geographical and climatic conditions during monsoon period, traveling on both the tracks is an uphill task and incidents of fall were also reported in the past wherein the pilgrims suffered injuries.
“The board has planned to come up with a ‘Pakka’ track to be protected with guardrails on both sides for the convenience of the trekkers,” sources added.
“After concrete track will be in place, the devotees will not face difficulty in trekking to the Cave Shrine even if it rains,” they said adding that biggest advantage will be that the time and money spent every year in repairing the snow bound track will also be saved and the routes can be readied in a short span for yatra.

Updated On 9/21/2021 10:44:27 AM