Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 26: All arrangements are in place as first batch of pilgrims is set to leave Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas from here to holy cave of Shri Amarnath Ji situated at an altitude of 14000 feet in the deep Himalayas in South Kashmir district of Anantnag in the morning of June 28.
According to sources, all the departments engaged with yatra arrangements and its smooth conduct have started their functioning and given final shape to arrangements. The security forces and police have taken control of Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar and the area has been fully barricaded from the Bhagwati Nagar main road.
Sources said the police and CRPF jawans have established their pickets at Yatri Niwas and outside it to maintain the proper security and vigil on the movement of people to avert any untoward incident.
The private ‘langar’ people have also taken the possession and installed the langars outside the Yatri Niwas while the Tourism Department has establish a free langar inside the Yatri Niwas besides a food court where the snacks and other fast food items will be served to yatris on normal charges, said Director Tourism Samitha Sethi.
To add to the facilities of the pilgrims the Tourism Department has provided ACs in the halls at first floor of Yatri Niwas and the same will be allotted on the first come first serve basis at the rate of Rs 50 per bed while for non AC, Rs 10 will be charged per bed as usual, she added.
Moreover, for old age pilgrims, the Tourism Department has established 30 percent English type toilets in the Yatri Niwas this year, she informed.
“The yatris on their arrival will be given information about their journey and also the Department will distribute pamphlets about how to proceed on yatra,” said Vishwas Mahajan, Joint Director Tourism.
They will also be informed about the sight seeing places in Jammu. The SRTC buses will be available for Jammu Darshan and the Balidan Sathal, Bawe Mata Temple, Bagh-e-Bahu, Suchetgarh border, Akhnoor including the Ambaran and Harpan sites will include in the itinerary. In addition to this the Tourism Department is exploring the possibility of Rafting in the River Chenab at Akhnoor for the interested pilgrims during the Jammu darshan, he added.
Moreover, to avoid any confusion among the yatris regarding the current registration and also heavy rush in front of current registration counters, this year the State administration has opened the token Centre at SRTC Community Centre Railway Head.
The yatris after reaching here will be issued the token for registration mentioning the date and spot of registration, said additional DC Jammu PC Jamwal, who is also the Nodal Officer for the Yatra. He said the on spot registration will be made as per the token to avoid the harassment to the pilgrims in front of registration counters.
The authorities have opened four current registration counters in Jammu, he said, adding out of them two are at Vaishnavi Dham and Saraswati Dham Rail Head respectively while one counter has been opened at Mahajan Hall and one for Sadhus at Purani Mandi Temple.
The yatris will also be provided a bundle of pamphlets containing registration form and information brochure at Token Centre which will guide them about the procedure of registration, medical check up, yatra track, besides also give information about langers, boarding and lodging.
The yatris will be asked to go for medical check up first after seeking the token and it will be followed by registration, Jamwal added.
He said no unregistered yatri will be allowed to enter the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas and for this purpose fool proof security arrangements have been made by the authorities.
There is a capacity of housing 1600 to 1700 pilgrims in Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas and in case of rush the authorities have made arrangements in the Asa Ram Bapu Ashram which is adjoining the Yatri Niwas, said Jamwal, adding in addition to it 14 community halls have been booked to accommodate the yatris in case of heavy rush.
They among others included Aggarwal Sabha, Jammu, Brahman Sabha, Ravi Dass Sabha, Rajput Sabha etc. The current registration at Jammu will start on February 27 while the first batch of pilgrims will leave next day.
To ensure total security to pilgrims, the authorities have decided that no yatri vehicle will be allowed to cross Jawahar Tunnel after 3 pm so that they can reach Baltal within seven hours from there and are not forced to stay in the way due to late night travel.
The pilgrims will be provided security right from Lakhanpur to holy cave and the yatra will be preceded by Road Opening Party (ROP) daily, said DIG (presently IG) Jammu -Kathua Range, Ashkoor Wani. He said several meetings were held regarding the security arrangements for the pilgrims and besides the Army, CRPF and Police SSB jawans will also be pressed into service for ensuring fool proof security to pilgrims.
Till date 2.12 lakh pilgrims have been registered at various registration counters across the country and this year for the first time the authorities have opened the registration counters in Ladakh also.
Official sources said that there is a festive look on the both tracks right from Pahalgam as well as Baltal to holy cave with langar people as well as pony wallas, laborers having already reached there. The langars have been installed on both the tracks right from Pahalgam to holy cave and Baltal to holy cave.
25 camp directors appointed to man the yatra have joined their duties while the army has taken the charge of upper reaches on the track from both Pahalgam and Baltal sides and CRPF, SSB jawans as well as local police is manning the track as well as the base camps and halting stations enroute, sources added.
Sources said the track is through from both sides and the yatris will be allowed to have darshan from both the tracks from the starting day of pilgrimage.
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