Amarnath Yatra
3.45 lakh pilgrims performed darshan so far; four devotees injured in Ramban mishap
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said that the security and facilities for Amarnath pilgrims have steadily improved over the last few years, with over 96 per cent of yatris expressing satisfaction in recent feedback.
During his visit to the Nunwan Base Camp in Pahalgam, the LG noted that this year’s arrangements have been made with devotion and diligence by the concerned departments.
“In the last three to four years, the security and other facilities have been getting better every year. We want pilgrims to carry back happy memories,” he said, adding that a festive atmosphere surrounds the ongoing yatra.
Sinha further expressed optimism that the successful conduct of the pilgrimage will boost tourism in the region. “So far, 3.45 lakh pilgrims have had darshan, and more are expected in the coming days,” he said.
Meanwhile, despite intermittent rain, a fresh batch of 3,536 pilgrims left the Jammu base camp early Tuesday morning amid tight security arrangements.
Escorted by paramilitary forces, the convoy departed in two groups—one for the Baltal route and the other via the traditional Pahalgam track. The total number of pilgrims who have departed from Jammu since July 2 has crossed 1.27 lakh.
However, officials confirmed a visible decline in daily pilgrim footfall. From nearly 8,000 on July 18, the numbers dropped to just over 3,500 on July 22—the smallest batch so far.
Due to the fall in numbers, on-the-spot registration has been limited to the Bhagwati Nagar base camp.
Despite the slowdown, the overall turnout remains strong. On Tuesday alone, 10,829 devotees offered prayers at the cave shrine, taking the total to 3.31 lakh since the yatra began on July 3.
The pilgrims included 97 children, 78 sadhus and sadhvis, and even three transgender persons.
In a related incident, four pilgrims sustained minor injuries when a bus in the downward convoy from Srinagar to Jammu hit a parapet near the T-2 tunnel in Ramban district due to brake failure.
Authorities promptly responded, shifting the injured to the District Hospital. “All the injured are stable and have been discharged to continue their journey,” said Ramban Deputy Commissioner Alyas Khan. The 38-day Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 9.
