Srinagar, Aug 03: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra continued smoothly from the Baltal axis on Monday as thousands of pilgrims made their way towards the holy cave shrine amid tight security and elaborate arrangements by the administration and security agencies.
Official sources said that more than 4.40 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage, reflecting the steady influx of devotees from across the country.
However, the traditional Pahalgam axis continues to remain closed as restoration and repair work on the damaged track is underway following recent weather-related disruptions. As a result, the yatra is presently being conducted through the Baltal route, where authorities have ensured uninterrupted movement of pilgrims.
According to official figures, 7,060 yatris crossed the Domail Access Control Gate up to 6:00 am on August 3. The pilgrims included 5,283 men, 1,322 women, 106 children, 31 sadhus, 13 sadhvis, five transgender pilgrims and 300 security personnel, all of whom proceeded towards the holy cave under regulated movement and strict security arrangements.
Meanwhile, the pilgrimage also continued from the Jammu base camp. Officials said the 26th batch comprising 1,056 pilgrims departed from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas for the Baltal base camp in 46 escorted vehicles at around 2:50 am on Monday.
The batch included 832 men, 205 women, two children, 15 sadhus and two sadhvis. The convoy was escorted under multi-layered security arrangements to ensure the safe movement of pilgrims towards Baltal.
Authorities said all essential facilities, including medical assistance, sanitation, traffic management and emergency response systems, remain in place, while continuous monitoring of weather conditions and route safety is being carried out to ensure the smooth conduct of the ongoing pilgrimage.
