Rains suspend Yatris’ mvmt from Baltal route, 6,114 pay obeisance

TNN Bureau. Updated: 7/20/2019 11:57:50 AM Front Page

JAMMU: As many as 6,114 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine of Lord Shiva in south Kashmir Himalayas on Friday, even as the upward movement of pilgrims remained completely suspended from the Baltal route in Valley due to rain and slippery track conditions while continued from traditional Pahalgam route after a brief disruption this morning.

“On the 19th day of the ongoing Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 6,114 Yatris paid obeisance at the Holy Cave. Till date 2,38,974 Yatris had the darshan of the Shivling at the Holy Cave,” an official spokesman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board said.
The upward movement of pilgrims remained completely suspended from the Baltal route due to rain and slippery track conditions on Friday, he added.
“Pilgrimage was suspended from Baltal base camp as the track was slippery at several places and there was also intermittent rain during the night,” a yatra official informed.
“No yatra was allowed to move towards the cave shrine from shortest track as a precautionary measure since the hilly route was slippery,” he said. Similarly, no yatri was allowed to leave camp near the cave shrine for Baltal base camp, he added.
However, he said, if weather improves yatra will be resumed on this track also.
Meanwhile, due to rain and slippery conditions yatra was also suspended on traditional Pahalgam route also. However, following improvement in the weather and after inspection track condition, yatra was resumed, he added.
He said later fresh batch of pilgrims, including women, children and sadhus left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional yatra track. Meanwhile, the pilgrims who had night halt at different station, including Chandanwari, left for next stations early this morning.
Earlier in the morning, a fresh batch of 3627 pilgrims on Friday left for the Cave Shrine in South of Himalayas amid "Bam Bam Bhole" chants and rains from Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar base camp here.
The fleet of 157 vehicles ferrying pilgrims was escorted by CRPF personnel in jeeps and on motorbikes.
For Pahalgam route, 1799 male, 300 females, three children, 112 sadhus and two transgender left the base camp in 92 vehicles and for Baltal, 1012 male, 399 females left in 65 vehicles including buses and LMVs.
Total 157 vehicles left the base camp for both the routes including 63 HMVs and 94 LMVs.
Meanwhile, a 59-year-old yatri from Madhya Pradesh (MP) died due to massive cardiac arrest at Baltal base camp, a yatra official said on Friday.
He said Abeheyjig, son of Rattan Singh, resident of Akaliya Devass MP, Registration Number 425841 suffered a massive cardiac near Cave Shrine. However, he was immediately rushed to medical camp from where he was airlifted to Baltal base camp for specialized treatment.
He said Singh later died.
Multi-tier security arrangements have been made for smooth and successful conduct of 46-day long Yatra concluding on August 15 on the occasion of Sharavan Purnima (Rakshabandhan).
As many as 2.85 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave last year, while the number of pilgrims was 3.52 lakh in 2015, 3.20 lakh in 2016 and 2.60 lakh in 2017.


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