SRINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his admiration for the annual Amarnath Yatra, describing it as a divine and magnificent manifestation of our heritage.
In a tweet, he extended his wishes for new enthusiasm and energy to the devotees, invoking divine blessings for the successful completion of the pilgrimage and the nation’s progress in the auspicious amrit kaal.
The Amarnath Yatra commenced on Saturday, with the first batch of pilgrims embarking from the base camp at Baltal to reach the cave shrine located in the south Kashmir Himalayas. Continuing the pilgrimage, a fresh batch of 4,903 devotees departed from the base camp on Sunday, joining the journey towards the revered Amarnath cave shrine situated at an altitude of 3,880 meters in the picturesque south Kashmir Himalayas.
Since the flag-off of the first batch on June 30 by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, a total of 12,807 pilgrims have participated in the Yatra. On the inaugural day, over 8,000 devotees offered prayers at the shrine, as the pilgrimage simultaneously commenced from both the traditional 48-kilometer Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steep 14-kilometer Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Officials reported that 2,557 pilgrims, including 379 women and 226 sadhus, departed for Pahalgam in 104 vehicles, while 2,346 devotees embarked on the journey to the Baltal base camp in a convoy of 131 vehicles. The number of online registrations for the pilgrimage has exceeded 3.5 lakh.
To ensure the safety and security of the pilgrims, the Indian Army has implemented additional measures this year. Special attention has been given to prompt and effective responses in the event of natural calamities, with quadcopters and night vision devices employed for round-the-clock surveillance along both the routes.
Addressing the press conference at the Pahalgam base camp, Commander 1 Sector RR Amandeep Malhi emphasized the deployment of additional facilities and briefed the soldiers to minimize inconvenience to the locals during the Yatra period. Mountain and Avalanche rescue teams are also on standby to tackle any unforeseen events, and joint drills involving the army, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SRDRF) have been conducted to ensure timely responses to natural calamities.
Simlarly, at the Baltal briefing, 3 Sector Commander of the Indian Army, Atul Rajput, highlighted the establishment of a multi-level security grid to ensure the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra. Surveillance devices, night vision equipment, anti-drone teams, and bomb squads have been deployed along the route leading to the cave shrine to maintain constant vigilance. Tenting facilities and emergency helipads are prepared to handle any emergency situations, and earthmoving equipment has been strategically positioned in forward areas considering last year’s natural calamity. Close cooperation with the locals, who play a vital role in the pilgrimage, is maintained, and their suggestions are valued. The army officer expressed confidence in ensuring the safe return of every pilgrim.
