Srinagar: Border Roads Organization (BRO) personnel have created a history with the first set of vehicles reaching the holy Amarnath cave after widening the pedestrian track.
The Border Roads Organization (BRO), tasked with the road widening work on the Amarnath cave routes, announced the completion of the formidable task.
“Project Beacon is involved in the restoration and improvement of Amarnath Yatra tracks. BRO personnel completed the formidable task and created history with the first set of vehicles reaching the holy cave,” BRO announced in a post on X.
Giving further details, an official of the BRO said they widened the pedestrian track up to 12 feet and took a truck and small pickup vehicle from Dumail in Ganderbal district to the Amarnath Cave via Baltal base camp, which is one of the two routes to reach the cave.
He said BRO used these vehicles for the ongoing work near the holy cave of Amarnath.
“The vehicles had gone there (at the cave) because we have to carry a lot of stores to do the permanent work,” he said. “And yes, it has been a great achievement for the BRO because, in a very short time, we could reach there. We employed our resources because our aim was to reach there before the snowfall.”
The officer said right now, widening of the nearly 13-kilometer road stretch has been done till the cave from the Sangam base and Sangam top road via Baltal. This pedestrian road to Amarnath would reduce the travel time for pilgrims.
The cave of Shri Amarnath Ji in south Kashmir is situated at a height of about 3,888 meters above sea level, and the Yatra holds immense significance as a holy pilgrimage for Hindus. Annually, thousands of devotees participate in the Amarnath Yatra, and this year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the cave shrine.
The yatra takes place simultaneously from both routes—the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and Baltal in the Ganderbal district.
In April this year, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced that the 110 km-long Amarnath Marg leading to the holy Amarnath cave in Pahalgam would be built at a cost of around Rs 5300 crore for the convenience of the pilgrims going to Shri Amarnath Shrine.
The BRO driving its vehicles to Amarnath cave evoked some criticism.
People’s Democratic Party Spokesperson and Youth General Secretary Mohit Bhan condemned the development.
“This is not history; it’s the biggest crime one can commit to Hinduism & its faith in nature. Hinduism is all about immersing in spiritual mother nature; that’s why our pilgrimages are in the lap of Himalayas.
Turning religious pilgrimages into picnic spots for mere political gains is worthy of condemnation. We have seen the wrath of God in Joshimath, Kedarnath & yet we are learning no lessons instead are inviting a catastrophe in Kashmir,” Bhan posted on X.
