Shri Amarnath Shrine Board made full preparations to start Amarnath Yatra after three years

The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure smooth conduct of the Yatra to the holy Amarnath cave in South Kashmir starting June 30.

: Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure smooth conduct of the Yatra to the holy Amarnath cave in South Kashmir starting June 30.

A senior official said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration is supporting the efforts of the Shrine Board by making impenetrable security arrangements on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes leading to the holy cave.

The board is making all arrangements for the pilgrims wishing to undertake the pilgrimage, as well as online darshan for those who cannot travel.

A SASB official said, “The pilgrims who cannot come for the yatra can avail the facility of online darshan, puja, havan and prasad.”

A 70 bedded DRDO hospital with all facilities has been opened to provide quality health services to the pilgrims at Baltal base camp.

This hospital has X-ray, Ultrasound, General and Oxygen facility ward, OPD, ICU, medicine store and laboratory. Health and family welfare is bearing the expenses of this hospital.

The Health Department of the Union Territory has also made special arrangements to provide health facilities to the pilgrims. It has deployed ‘Basic Life Saving Ambulances’ and 26 ‘Advanced Life Saving Critical Care Ambulances’ at 55 places on the routes from Qazigund to Baltal and Chandanwadi for the pilgrims.

During a recent visit to these two base camps, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had said that this year the special focus is on cleanliness and the target of the board is ‘Clean Amarnath Yatra’.

He had said, “We have arranged toilets from place to place on these routes. We are very serious about total cleanliness. Swachh Bharat is not just a slogan declared by the Prime Minister but a commitment.”

Security has been beefed up on Baltal and Pahalgam routes and new security posts have been set up so that no one can disrupt the pilgrimage, the official said.

The board has asked those wishing to travel to bring Aadhar card or other biometric attested documents. This yatra will start on 30th June and will end on 11th August, the day of Rakshabandhan.