Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 3 (ANI): Another batch of pilgrims on Friday departed from the Pantha Chowk base camp in Srinagar for the Baltal base camp to undertake the annual Amarnath Yatra amid heightened security arrangements across Jammu and Kashmir.
The pilgrims left in escorted convoys under multi-layered security as authorities continued to facilitate the smooth movement of devotees towards the holy Amarnath cave shrine.
Expressing joy ahead of the pilgrimage, one of the devotees said the opportunity to visit the holy cave shrine of Baba Barfani was a blessing.
“We are leaving for the Baltal base camp. We are feeling truly blessed to have the opportunity to offer our prayers to Baba Barfani at the Amarnath Holy Cave. May this sacred journey be filled with devotion and divine blessings,” the pilgrim told ANI.
The movement of pilgrims from Srinagar comes after the formal commencement of the 57-day annual Amarnath Yatra earlier in the day, when the first batches of devotees departed from the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Nunwan in Pahalgam towards the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
Authorities have put in place elaborate security and logistical arrangements to ensure a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage. Personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Indian Army have been deployed along the yatra routes, while surveillance systems and RFID tracking are being used for crowd management and security.
At the Baltal base camp, light rain led to a slight dip in temperatures, but officials said the route remained clear for pilgrims. Baltal Nodal Officer Rahul Yadav earlier said the district administration had made comprehensive arrangements, including emergency shelters along the 14-kilometre route, to address any weather-related challenges.
Pilgrims who began the journey from both Baltal and Pahalgam praised the arrangements made by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), local administration and security forces, describing the facilities and assistance as well organised.
The 57-day pilgrimage, which officially commenced today, is heavily monitored using digital surveillance and RFID tracking systems to ensure crowd management and safety. The annual yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. (ANI)
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