Over 26K Visit Amarnath Cave Shrine In First 2 Days: LG

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Srinagar- Over 26,000 pilgrims have visited the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas during the first two days of the annual pilgrimage, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Yatri Niwas Complex at Baltal base camp in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, the LG said,“There is an atmosphere of celebration and enthusiasm across the entire Union Territory for the Amarnath Yatra. So far, more than 20,000 devotees have had darshan of Baba Barfani.”

According to officials, a total of 26,863 pilgrims visited the cave shrine in the first two days, with 14,515 pilgrims performing darshan on Friday alone. The devotees included 11,440 men, 2,426 women, 91 children, 179 sadhus, 42 sadhvis, nine transgenders, and 328 members of security forces.

The LG noted that while pilgrims arriving before their scheduled dates would be accommodated, priority would be given to those with prior registration.“We appeal to devotees to wait for their turn. Accommodation and other facilities have been strengthened this year,” he said.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, also joined the inauguration of the Yatri Niwas complex virtually. Developed by ONGC under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the complex can accommodate 800 pilgrims and includes a registration and security block.

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Sinha thanked ONGC for establishing Yatri Niwas facilities at Sidhra (Jammu), Baltal, Nunwan, and Bijbehara at a total cost of ₹240 crore under CSR. He informed that work on other pilgrim shelters is ongoing and the Yatri Niwas at Nunwan is expected to be completed by October this year.

“Safe and adequate accommodation for all devotees is our top priority,” Sinha said.“We are not only improving facilities for yatris but also supporting local livelihoods.”

He also highlighted infrastructure improvements along the pilgrimage route, including widening of tracks, installation of safety railings, and grid-powered illumination for round-the-clock visibility and surveillance.“Grid power from Panchtarni to Chandanwari will also be ensured by next year,” he added.

The annual Amarnath Yatra, which began earlier this week, draws thousands of devotees each year to the naturally formed ice 'Shivling' in the sacred cave shrine located at an altitude of 3,880 meters.

3rd Batch Of 6,411 Yatris Reaches Twin Base Camps

The third batch of 6,411 pilgrims, which departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early Friday, has reached the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal and Nunwan in Pahalgam, Anantnag.

The batch travelled in 291 vehicles, including 130 buses, 46 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 113 light motor vehicles (LMVs), and 2 two-wheelers, all moving under a strict multi-layer security cover, the officials said, adding that the third batch included 4,723 males, 1,071 females, 37 children, 487 sadhus, and 93 sadhvis. Of them, 2,789 pilgrims headed for Baltal, while 3,622 chose the Pahalgam route.

Pertinently, over 350,000 pilgrims have already registered online for this year's pilgrimage. To accommodate the influx of devotees, 34 lodging centres have been established across Jammu.

Pilgrims are being issued Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags for tracking and safety. Additionally, 12 counters have been set up to facilitate on-the-spot registration.

The 38-day-long Yatra, which commenced on July 3, will culminate on August 9.

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