No Amarnath Yatra convoy from Jammu on July 19 amid bad weather alert
No fresh batch of pilgrims will be allowed to proceed from Jammu to the Amarnath Yatra base camps on Sunday (July 19) after authorities suspended
No fresh batch of pilgrims will be allowed to proceed from Jammu to the Amarnath Yatra base camps on Sunday (July 19) after authorities suspended convoy movement as a precaution in view of forecasts of inclement weather along the pilgrimage route. The Jammu administration said no convoy or vehicle carrying Amarnath pilgrims will be permitted to leave the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for the twin base camps at Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam) on July 19. Read Full Story The decision was taken to ensure the safety of devotees amid adverse weather conditions predicted along the yatra route.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar said no fresh batch of pilgrims would be allowed to travel towards Kashmir on Sunday in view of the weather advisory. "Pilgrims are advised to remain at their designated accommodation centres in Jammu, Udhampur and Ramban and await further instructions from the authorities," he said. The announcement came a day after a fresh batch of 3,632 pilgrims, including 877 women and 104 sadhus, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the annual pilgrimage. The 17th batch departed in escorted convoys between 2.40 am and 3.15 am on Saturday under elaborate security arrangements.
Of the total pilgrims, 2,624 were headed to the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district, while 1,008 opted for the traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district. The 57-day annual pilgrimage has so far progressed smoothly, with more than 3.65 lakh devotees offering prayers at the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine. Although the naturally formed ice Shivling melted earlier than usual this year, the pilgrimage has continued uninterrupted, with devotees continuing to visit the shrine in large numbers. Officials said over 1.12 lakh pilgrims who have visited the shrine this year began their journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
While pilgrims from the Jammu base camp travel in escorted convoys, many registered devotees have chosen to reach the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps directly on their own. Security arrangements remain in place along the Jammu-Srinagar Highway as well as both pilgrimage routes to ensure the safe movement of yatris. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp on July 2, a day before the yatra commenced in Kashmir. The pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. Ends
The BriefWire