Amarnath Yatra resumes; 25,000 stranded pilgrims escorted safely from base camps

By admin On Jul 12, 2016

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Even though situation remains volatile in different parts of Kashmir valley the state government on Monday decided to allow stranded pilgrims to proceed towards Amarnath cave shrine by resuming the yatra late Monday afternoon after a gap of more than two days under tight security arrangements.
The yatra was resumed only after more than 25000 pilgrims were shifted to Jammu under tight security arrangements.
The state government had made elaborate security arrangements to shift all the stranded pilgrims in 1612 vehicles from Baltal and 129 vehicles from Pahalgam under tight security arrangements on Monday.
So far 1.33 lakh pilgrims have performed darshan inside the cave shrine of Amarnath.
Due to suspension of yatra, the BJP-PDP government had come under intense pressure from various political parties to ensure safety of the pilgrims.
Leaders belonging to different political parties too had left no opportunity to corner the alliance government by organising street protests against the alliance government in Jammu.
Besides allowing stranded pilgrims camping in Yatri Niwas to proceed towards Baltal base camp all those struck along the National Highway were also permitted to undertake the pilgrimage. Due to suspension of yatra the number of pilgrims camping in the yatri niwas were increasing making it difficult for the district authorities to organise their comfortable stay.
On Sunday around 2000 pilgrims were prevented from entering the state borders near Lakhanpur after which they staged protest demonstrations
A senior district official supervising yatra arrangements, “the decision to allow the yatra was taken only after more than 25000 stranded pilgrims arrived in Jammu under tight security arrangements”. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Jammu has set up different teams of senior district officers to check reports of harassment of pilgrims by way of charging hefty fare, selling sub standard food products in unhygienic conditions.