Amarnath Yatra Resumes After 6-Day Halt, LG Sinha Reviews Track Restoration

Srinagar: After remaining suspended for six days due to severe weather and torrential rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir, the annual Amarnath Yatra officially resumed on Saturday as more than 4,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine. Faith triumphed over inclement conditions as a total of 4,053 devotees and security personnel reached the 3,880-metre-high shrine on the first day of resumption, pushing the tot
al number of pilgrims this season past 3.95 lakh since the Yatra commenced on July 3. To ensure smooth and safe movement, authorities opened the shorter 14-kilometer Baltal axis while keeping the traditional 48-kilometer Pahalgam route temporarily closed to facilitate urgent track repairs and maintenance following rain-induced damage.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 6,269 pilgrims in a convoy of 223 vehicles left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu early Saturday morning bound for Baltal. Taking direct stock of the situation, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials, camp directors, and security agencies to review track restoration and safety measures along the pilgrimage corridor. LG Sinha directed executing agencies to prioritize vulnerable zones prone to mudslides and shooting stones, ordered the deployment of additional Mountain Rescue Teams, and instructed officials to ensure proactive, real-time weather updates alongside uninterrupted power, water, communication, and healthcare services for all devotees. Flagged off on July 2, the annual 52-day pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.