Jammu: The annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir will commence on July 3 and conclude after 57 days on August 28, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Sunday.
Pilgrims between the ages of 13 and 70 can undertake the Yatra, and registrations will begin from April 15, the LG told reporters at the Lok Bhavan here.
The dates for the Yatra were decided at a meeting of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) chaired by Sinha.
“The Amarnath Yatra will commence on July 3 and conclude on August 28. Overall, this year’s pilgrimage will be slightly longer, lasting about 57 days,” the LG said.
Registration for the pilgrimage has been made mandatory and will begin from April 15. The minimum age for pilgrims has been fixed at 13 years and the maximum at 70 years, he said.
“Advance registration can be done through nearly 556 designated bank branches across the country, while online registration will also be available through the official website of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board,” Sinha said.
Yes Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Axis Bank will facilitate registrations through their branches, he said.
He said the first ‘puja’ will be performed on June 19, on the occasion of Jyeshtha Purnima.
The pilgrimage will commence from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Sinha said that several new initiatives have been introduced over the past four years to improve facilities for pilgrims undertaking the annual Yatra, including mandatory Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards and enhanced insurance cover.
“RFID cards have been made mandatory and 100 per cent pilgrims are issued these cards. Group accidental insurance has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, with an additional Rs 50,000 provided in case of natural or accidental death of ponywalas,” he said.
The use of technology has also increased significantly, with RFID systems being extended to multiple services.
“Two years ago, fewer people were availing these services, but last year, nearly 70 per cent of pilgrims used them, indicating considerable success,” he said.
Highlighting infrastructure upgrades, Sinha said that both pilgrimage routes have been widened significantly to ensure smoother movement of pilgrims.
“The Baltal and Nunwan routes have been expanded up to around 12 ft at several places and vulnerable stretches and bridges have been improved considerably by the BRO, which has done commendable maintenance work over the years,” he said.
On capacity enhancement, the LG said arrangements have been made to accommodate more pilgrims even during adverse weather conditions.
“Holding capacity has been increased and several shelters have been set up so that a large number of people can stay comfortably during bad weather,” he said.
LG said that Yatri Niwas facilities have been expanded at Chandanwari, Baltal and Srinagar in Kashmir. While the Nunwan facility will become operational this year, the Jammu facility is also expected to open soon.
Sinha said strict measures have been implemented at vulnerable locations along the route. Multi-layered security arrangements have been put in place for the yatra.
“Jammu and Kashmir Police, NDRF, SDRF and CRPF are deployed in large numbers, while the Army takes positions at higher reaches in advance to ensure security,” he said.
“With the installation of Doppler radar, real-time weather prediction has become much more precise as compared to earlier,” he said.
Sinha said a 100-bed hospital has been established in Baltal and another in Chandanwari to provide good medical support to pilgrims.
To ensure seamless communication connectivity, he said, all major service providers, including BSNL, Reliance and Airtel, have been engaged to maintain connectivity, even during heavy rains when pilgrims may get stranded.
Sinha said the Yatra is being conducted smoothly due to coordinated efforts of multiple stakeholders.
The administration has put in place systems to assess pilgrim satisfaction, he said.
