Srinagar, Jul 31: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra remained suspended from the Baltal route on Friday after heavy rainfall damaged sections of the track, forcing authorities to halt the movement of pilgrims as a precautionary measure.
Official sources said the decision was taken in view of inclement weather and the need to undertake urgent restoration work on vulnerable stretches of the Baltal track. The suspension was aimed at ensuring the safety of thousands of pilgrims undertaking the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine.
Continuous rainfall triggered damage to portions of the trekking route, making it unsafe for pilgrims. Soon after the weather deteriorated, authorities reviewed the situation and decided to suspend the yatra from Baltal until the track is restored.
Engineering teams, disaster response personnel and other concerned agencies were immediately pressed into service to repair the damaged stretches and clear debris from the route. Restoration work is underway on a war footing, officials said, adding that every effort is being made to reopen the track as soon as conditions permit.
No pilgrim was allowed to proceed from the Baltal base camp on Friday. Officials said fresh movement towards the holy cave shrine will remain suspended until engineers certify the route as safe and weather conditions improve.
Meanwhile, the pilgrimage from the traditional Pahalgam route also continued to remain suspended due to adverse weather and ongoing restoration works. With both routes temporarily closed, authorities are continuously monitoring the situation and reviewing weather forecasts before taking any decision on resuming the yatra.
The administration has advised all pilgrims to remain at their designated base camps and refrain from attempting to move towards the shrine without official permission. Public address systems and officials at the camps are regularly updating pilgrims about the prevailing situation.
Officials said adequate arrangements, including accommodation, food, drinking water, medical assistance and security, have been put in place at the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps to ensure that stranded pilgrims do not face inconvenience during the temporary suspension.
Authorities have appealed to devotees to cooperate with the administration and exercise patience. They reiterated that the safety and well-being of pilgrims remain the highest priority and that the yatra will resume only after the tracks are fully restored and declared safe for travel.
