Hit by the inclement weather in Kashmir Valley, the annual Amarnath Yatra resumed on Friday morning on traditional Pahalgam route in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district but remained suspended from relatively shorter Baltal route in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
A senior police official said that Yatra was not allowed from Baltal route in view of weatherman’s prediction of landslides along the 16-kilometer trek towards the holy cave.
No fresh batch was allowed to move from Jammu as the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) officials halted the Yatra from Jammu based Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp in view of accumulation of Yatris at main base camps at Nunwan, Baltal, Sheshnag and Panjtarn in the Valley. Three pilgrims died on Tuesday when a cloudburst hit the pilgrimage route near Baltal. Home Minister Rajnath Singh could not embark on a journey to the holy cave on Thursday during his 2-day visit to Kashmir. The helicopter service could not be operated in the area due to bad weather.
Meanwhile, at least three Amarnath pilgrims including a woman were injured after a bus in which they were traveling in skidded off from the road in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. They were returning from Baltal base camp towards Jammu after having darshan.
Governor NN Vohra, who is also chairman of SASB visited Baltal Base Camp and took stock of the situation arising in view of the large number of stranded Yatris at base camps due to bad weather, falling stones and landslides. He issued directions to move stranded Yatris towards holy cave for darshan. In view of concerns, Shrine Board has advised Yatris to adhere to the guidelines already issued to avoid pollution of water bodies along the two yatra routes. The Board has also asked the yatris to dispose off waste in accordance with these guidelines while undertaking Yatra on both routes. Environmentalists say that the large number of pilgrims is posing a threat to the fragile ecology of the region.