- Home
- Front Page
Amarnath Yatra to remain suspended today
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 7/7/2018 11:57:31 PM
10107 pilgrims pay obeisance at the Holy Cave
JAMMU, Jul 7: The Amarnath Yatra will remain suspended on Sunday.
The Pahalgam and Baltal routes will remain closed following precautionary measures on Burhan Wani's second death anniversary.
The Hizbul commander and poster boy, Burhan Wani was killed on July 8, 2016 in an encounter in Kokernag area of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Tomorrow is Kashmir bandh due to the second death anniversary of Burhan Wani. The yatra will be stopped in view of security and safety of the pilgrims," said DGP Jammu and Kashmir SP Vaid.
Around 1,000 pilgrims have been stopped in Kathua districts and more than 15,000 in Jammu, Udhampur and Ramban district.
Intelligence sources said that a red alert has been sounded all along 300 kms of Jammu-Srinagar national highway for tomorrow to avoid any attack by terrorists in view of Burhan Wani's death anniversary.
Umang Narula, CEO, Shrine Board, informed Governor NN Vohra, Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, that the Yatra had resumed from both Baltal and Pahalgam routes early today morning and helicopters services had also operated from both the sides.
On the directions of the Governor, MI-17 helicopters of Indian Air Force continued to operate today and evacuated the remaining 241 (of the total 567) Yatris stranded at Panjtarni.
CEO also informed that to meet the cash requirements of Yatris, J&K Bank has air lifted and made operational a Micro ATM at Panjtarni today morning. It may be mentioned that ATMs are already available at the Baltal and Nunwan Yatra Base Camps.
To address the serious problems caused by landslides, particularly between Railpathri & Brarimarg, the critical spots have been identified and preventive measures - laying of wire mesh, lighting of the track, raising of breast walls etc.- are being undertaken on emergent basis to ensure the safety of pilgrims, in addition to the deployment of rescue teams.
CEO further informed that on the 10th day of the ongoing Yatra 10,107 Yatris paid obeisance at Holy Cave and, till date, 83,130 Yatris had received darshan of the Shivling at the Holy Cave.