Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 13: R. K. Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board, performed Pratham Pooja today on the auspicious occasion of Jyesht Purnima at Chandanwari on the traditional Pahalgam-Holy Cave track, amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras.
He invoked the blessings of Shri Amarnathji for the smooth conduct of the ensuing Yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine. Since 2011, the Shrine Board has been conducting Pratham Pooja on the auspicious occasion of Jyesht Purnima every year to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva for the peaceful conduct of the annual Yatra.
The CEO was accompanied by Preet Pal Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer, R.K. Pandita GM (Works), Shrine Board Yatra Camp Directors, and Members of Baba Amarnath and Budha Amarnath Yatri Niyas Karan Singh Charak, General Secretary, Sudershan Khajuria, Joint General Secretary, Shakti Dutt Sharma and Deepak Sharma.
The CEO also reviewed the status of the on-going works at the Access Control Gate, Chandanwari, and directed the concerned officials of R & B Department to expedite construction of Shelter Sheds and repair of other damaged infrastructure.
Taking into account the significant delay and disruption of work caused by unprecedented snowfall during the preceding winter, the CEO ordered deployment of additional manpower, on double shift basis, for clearance of snow on the tracks and putting in place other Yatra related arrangements at all the Yatra Camps on this route, before 28th June, the date on which the annual Yatra is scheduled to commence.
The CEO has asked the engineers and other staff of the Board, Government Departments and all the concerned agencies to work on war footing basis.
Large accumulation of snow on the tracks and at the various Camp locations and inclement weather up to mid-May has seriously hampered the progress of restoration of tracks, without which it is not possible to make the required Yatra related arrangements at the farther Yatra Camps, i.e., at Panjtarni, Sheshnag and Holy Cave.
With the deployment of additional manpower, it is hoped that the required arrangements will be timely in place, if the weather remains fair.
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