Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 25: Despite the cloudburst in Baltal area and heavy over night rainfall, 4890 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave of Lord Shiva today. With this the total number of yatris paying obeisance in the cave shrine since the first batch of pilgrims left from Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp here to holy cave touched 2,90,943.
However the yatra rush has decreased to a great extent due to heavy rains on holy cave track and cloudbursts at a number of times on Baltal and Sheshnag areas during last one week.
The Srinagar -Baltal road which was restored for two ways traffic two days back after it was washed away due to heavy rains and landslides at a number of places has been again cut off due to last night’s cloudburst at Baltal and heavy rainfall disrupting the movement of yatris again from this track.
The pilgrims, who had managed to reach Baltal before the cloudburst left for holy cave early this morning both by foot and by chopper. No pilgrim was allowed to return via Baltal after darshan and all have taken up Panchtarni -Chandanwari track for return.
According to an official spokesman, 2940 pilgrims left Nunwan-Pahalgam base camp for holy cave this morning while the pilgrims stationed at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni halting stations also started their return journey.
He said the weather in Pahalgam and on the entire track was pleasant today. The weather was also pleasant in Baltal area where the cloud burst and flash floods created havoc late last night.
The spokesman said the authorities have taken extra care for yatris safety in view of the vagaries of weather in the holy cave area.
Meanwhile, 23rd batch of 617 pilgrims left for holy cave from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas early this morning in a cavalcade of 18 vehicles. They included 416 male and 93 female, 14 children and 94 Sadhus. All the vehicles have crossed the Jawahar Tunnel by this evening and they were on their way to Nunwan-Pahalgam.
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