Amarnath Yara: Over 3.5L Pilgrims Registered Online, Jammu Based Yatri Niwas To Get Facelift

Jammu, May 16: As the tension between India and Pakistan is normalising gradually and the shelling on the borders has stopped, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has geared up to welcome the pilgrims for this year’s Shri Amarnath Yatra starting from July 3 and ending on August 9.
More than 3.5 lakh devotees from across the country have registered themselves online for the yatra.
However, the Yatri Niwas with a capacity to accommodate 2000 pilgrims will get a facelift and be ready for the yatries by mid of June.
“Situation on borders is peaceful and normalcy has restored,” officials said.
They said that very soon the repair work will begin at Bhagwati Nagar based Yatri Niwas—the base camp of Shri Amarnath Yatra at Jammu and the facility will be handed over to the Tourism Department by June 20.
“The first batch of pilgrims from Jammu Yatri Niwas will leave for Shri Amarnath from twin routes–Pahalgam and Baltal– route on July 2,” they added.
They further said that so far more than three and a half lakh devotees from across the country have registered online from April 14 for the Yatra.
“There is a great enthusiasm among the devotees and despite all challenges they are ready to visit the cave shrine during the yatra,” they stated.
The administration at the Divisional and the District levels has directed the concerned officers to expedite the preparations for the Yatra.
“Devotees will get all facilities from the entry gate at Lakhanpur (J&K-Punjab Border) upto the holy cave of Shri Amarnath to facilitate their journey,” said officials.
“The facelift work of Yatri Niwas has been allotted to the J&K Public Works Department and the repairs will begin very soon as the accommodation was being used for the stay of additional security personnel on duty in the aftermath of Indo-Pak tension,” they added.
Director Tourism, Jammu, Vikas Gupta on Friday conducted a comprehensive inspection of Yatri Niwas and assessed the preparedness and infrastructural arrangements for the smooth facilitation of pilgrims.
He was accompanied by Aijaz Qaiser, Joint Director Tourism, Jammu.
The Director reviewed key facilities including accommodation, sanitation, uninterrupted power supply, potable water availability, hygiene standards, and overall management of the premises. The objective of the visit was to ensure seamless coordination among departments and timely completion of all essential works ahead of the Yatra.
He emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards of quality, sanitation, and coordination to ensure a safe, comfortable, and well-managed environment for the yatris.
The Director reiterated the commitment of the Tourism Department to ensuring that all necessary infrastructure, services, and logistics are put in place well in advance, in close coordination with all concerned departments, for the smooth and successful conduct of the Shri Amarnath Yatra.
Meanwhile officials said that besides infrastructural arrangements and facilities, health of the pilgrims visiting the Yatri Niwas will also be taken care of for which a team of Jammu and Kashmir Health Department will be deputed round the clock on roster basis.
Meanwhile, he said that the pilgrims from outside the Jammu and Kashmir, can also avail the facility of postpaid numbers of various telecom service providers.
Notably, the pre-paid SIM cards from rest of the parts of the country are not functional in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Likewise every year, this time also travel prepaid SIM card service will be available from telecom operators,” they said, “devotees will get all facilities under one-roof like registration, travel to scenic places of Jammu etc.”
Two counters will also be set up in the Yatri Niwas by Jammu-Kashmir Road Transport Corporation, said official.
They stated that around 120 mobile toilets will also be installed at Yatri Niwas.
“The two-storied Yatri Niwas has a capacity to accommodate 2000 pilgrims and apart from this, a prefabricated shed has also been built in the courtyard to accommodate nearly 200 pilgrims in case of heavy rush,” they said.
“Along with other arrangements, 24×7 water and electricity supply will be made available at the Yatri Niwas for the pilgrims,” they said.
However, tight security arrangements will be made in and around the base camp for the safety of the devotees, they added. (Agencies)

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