Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 25: With holy Amarnath yatra starting from June 28, the pilgrims from different parts of country have started reaching here by this afternoon for their onwards sojourn to the holy cave situated in deep Himalayas in Kashmir valley at an altitude of 14000 feet.
Though a small number of pilgrims has reached here to leave for holy cave on June 28 morning from the Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar, the Base camp of annual yatra, it may increase by tomorrow or tonight.
The authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the boarding and lodging for 2000 pilgrims at Yatri Niwas with free langar facilities also. Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Shantmanu who visited the Yatri Niwas this evening to oversee the arrangements there also inaugurated the langar to be jointly run in Yatri Niwas by Shiv Sena Hindustan (SSH) and Shiv Shakti Vaishno Sewa Mandal Delhi.
He also visited the langar and store and gave instructions of maintaining cleanliness. He inquired about the quality of items being used for cooking meals from the management of the langar. The Divisional Commissioner was accompanied by Commissioner, JMC, Kiran Wattal and Director Tourism, Sujaniya Sharma, SSP Jammu and other officers.
The authorities have decided to send 30,000 yatris for darshan daily, Mr Shantmanu told Excelsior. He said out of it 15,000 will leave via shortest Baltal track while 15,000 will leave via traditional Pahalgam, Chandanwari track.
He however said that the Pahalgam-Chandanwari track was not ready yet for pilgrims and Governor, N N Vohra who is also chairman of the Shrine Board will take a decision regarding the opening of this track soon.
He said all the arrangements for the yatris are in place. Besides, boarding and lodging, the medicare facilities for the pilgrims have been made in Yatri Niwas.
He said for the first time this year a prepaid taxi, auto and matador facilities will be provided to pilgrims from Railway Station. Besides, all arrangements of yatris security inside the Yatri Niwas have been made. The Yatri Niwas will be guarded by CRPF Jawans and police round the clock, he added.
The Divisional Commissioner said that fool proof security arrangements for pilgrims from Lakhanpur to holy cave have also been made.
DIG Jammu, Shakeel Ahmed Baig said that three tier security arrangements have been made for yatris and besides CRPF and excess control security the J&K Police has also been deployed for the security of pilgrims.
He said Road Opening Party (RoP) has been pressed into service and deployment has been made at every place from Lakhanpur to Yatri Niwas and Yatri Niwas to Jawahar Tunnel so that yatris could cross safely. The Yatri vehicles will be provided security from Yatri Niwas to Jawahar Tunnel where from the security arrangements will be made by the Kashmir division.
Meanwhile, about 100 pilgrims have reported at Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas by this evening who were ready to leave for holy cave the day after -tomorrow. However, these pilgrims were not allowed to enter the Yatri Niwas late up to evening and they were camping outside.
A group of yatris including women were seen dancing and singing outside the Yatri Niwas while others were waiting on main gate for entry inside.
However the yatris reaching here said that they were not satisfied with arrangements. Vijay Kumar a pilgrim from Chennai who is leaving for holy Cave 6th time said that the yatra will start day after tomorrow and Yatri Niwas has not been opened for pilgrims till this evening.
The authorities are inaugurating langar today when it should have started functioning, he added.
Kumar said that he has got the registration date of June 28 via Pahalgam track and the authorities are yet undecided whether to open Pahalgam track on that day or not. “ I was told to wait for one hour and you will be informed accordingly. But I am now waiting for last four hours and no one informed me whether yatra will leave on June 28 via Pahalgam track or not”, he added.
Sunil Kumar Soni a pilgrim from Jabalpur who accompanied a group of six pilgrims said that they could not make advance registration as there was no counter of registration in Jabalpur. “We were informed that yatra will proceed from June 26 through media and here we are wandering for want of registration as authorities have not made proper arrangements for the same.
Meanwhile, the authorities have made arrangements for Sadhus at Ram Mandir Purani Mandi and hundreds of Sadhus have already reached here to leave for darshan of holy cave.
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