Amarnath Yatra: First batch of pilgrims reach Qazigund; gets warm welcome from locals, dist admin

With just one day left for the Amarnath Yatra, the first batch of pilgrims reached Qazigund on Wednesday Afternoon.

They were welcomed by locals, PRI Members as well as officers of the District Administration

The Yatra began earlier today from Jammu amid tight security arrangements made by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) along with the army and the local police.

Pilgrims reached Jammu late Tuesday night ahead of the Amarnath Yatra which will be commencing on June 30, after a gap of two years.

“We were waiting for two years to offer prayers to Baba Bholenath. We are very happy to see it happen,” a pilgrim told.

Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha met the first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims from the Jammu base camp on Tuesday night.

The Amarnath shrine pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, is held from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal.

Besides this, the DRDO hostel has been made prepared for the Amarnath Yatris.

“DRDO hostel is ready in both the base camps for Amarnath Yatris. We have made arrangements for the pilgrims to stay.

Langar, medical, communication and sanitation facilities for the pilgrims have been done here,” said Nitishwar Kumar, CEO of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

Besides this, signboards and a public address system have been made for providing necessary information for pilgrims.

In addition to this, Police Control Rooms and Joint Control Rooms the Helpline, and District Emergency Operation Centre numbers have also been established.

Meticulous arrangements have been made for sanitation at their shelter places.

Security has been tightened in Jammu and Kashmir with special emphasis on the use of over 130 sniffer dogs on the vehicle routes heading towards the shrine to ensure safe pilgrimage amid heightened terror threats.

A top government official, requesting anonymity, told that this is the first time when the security forces have been using a maximum number of sniffer dogs to check the use of explosives by terrorists to disrupt the 43-day annual pilgrimage beginning on June 30. (KF)