Srinagar/Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday visited the Baltal base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra to take stock of the arrangements there and took stock of the facilities and arrangements for the pilgrims.
“Interacted with Shri Amarnathji pilgrims, officers, ponywalas at Baltal base camp earlier today. Enquired about the facilities, quality of services, well-being of Yatris, volunteers and carried out on-site inspection of Control Rooms,” the office of the LG tweeted.
“Adequate arrangements are in place to ensure safe & smooth Yatra. Directed the officials for regular inspection of lodging, food, health facilities, sanitation and taking care of cleanliness drive along the Yatra route and base camp,” he added.
The annual yatra began on June 30 and will culminate on August 11, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
More than 50,000 pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Holy cave shrine so far.
Meanwhile, amid tight security, the sixth batch of over 7,200 pilgrims left from here on Monday for the twin base camps of 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir, officials said.
A total of 7,282 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here in a convoy of 332 vehicles amid heavy security of CRPF, the officials said.
Of these, 5,866 are males, 1,206 females, 22 children, 179 sadhus and nine sadhvis, they said.
They said 2,901 pilgrims heading for Baltal were the first to leave in 150 vehicles around 3.40 am followed by the second convoy of 182 vehicles carrying 4,381 pilgrims for Pahalgam.
The annual 43-day pilgrimage commenced on June 30 from the twin base camps — Nunwan in Pahalgam of south Kashmir’s Anantnag and Baltal camp in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
Till today, over 52,000 pilgrims had offered their prayers at the Himalayan cave shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-Shivlingam, the officials said.
The Yatra is scheduled to end on August 11 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
