Yatri movement resumes on Kashmir highway after 3 days
Srinagar, Aug 16: Movement of vehicles, carrying Amarnath pilgrims, was resumed on Thursday on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway after remaining suspended for three days for security reasons, official sources said this morning.
'We have allowed the vehicles of pilgrims to ply on the highway, the only all weather road linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country,' sources told TNN.
They said on August 12 evening, an advisory was received from the administration not to allow any vehicle carrying Amarnath pilgrims to ply on the highway from August 13 for three days for security reasons.
All the pilgrims, who had returned after paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine on August 13 onwards, were stopped at Maingam and Baltal base camps in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal. The pilgrims left these camps for Jammu early this morning, they said.
Similarly, pilgrims who were stopped at Nunwan Pahalgam base camp in south Kashmir, were also allowed to leave for Jammu this morning.
Yatris who were halted at Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu base camps were also allowed to leave for Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps early this morning under proper security arrangements.
Meanwhile, over 2.80 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas since the commencement of the 60-day long yatra from June 28. The yatra will conclude on August 26 when the Chhari Mubarak, holy silver Mace of Lord Shiva will be taken to cave shrine for final puja.