Registration for the Amaranth Yatra, which is happening simply months after the Pahalgam terror assault, has seen a dip thus far this yr, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha mentioned on Thursday.
This yr’s numbers have been immediately impacted by the April 22 assault, earlier than which, the LG mentioned, over 2.36 lakh yatris had registered for the yatra. To this point, 85,000 have confirmed their registrations. This, he mentioned, would mark a decline of 10.19 per cent in registrations from final yr.
“This yr, earlier than April 22, registration numbers had been important. After the unlucky incident of April 22, registration has seen a decline, however it’s choosing up once more. We’re reaching out to those that had registered earlier than April 22, and this quantity will improve,” Sinha mentioned.
The annual Amarnath Yatra is about to start on July 3 and can proceed until August 9. Final yr, the yatra recorded the best footfall in 12 years, with over 5 lakh devotees visiting the holy cave.
With safety issues excessive this yr, Sinha mentioned that the presence of J&Okay Cops and the variety of firms of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been elevated.
“The J&Okay Police, Military and CAPFs have arrange a foolproof safety system, and there can be three-tier safety on each routes to the Amarnath cave. Mock drills have additionally been accomplished,” he mentioned. Sinha added that the safety of vacationer spots has been enhanced. “I say with duty that safety measures have been taken with all prospects in thoughts,” he mentioned.
In his attraction to the devotees travelling to Kashmir for the yatra, Sinha emphasised that each one devotees “should journey with the convoy, even these travelling of their personal automobiles”, to make sure the safety of all people.
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This yr’s yatra won’t embody helicopter providers as the realm has been declared a no-fly zone. Nevertheless, the LG mentioned that solely about 8 per cent of the yatris used the service, and it’s unlikely to have an effect on numbers considerably. The Amarnath Yatra has two most important routes for pilgrims: the standard Pahalgam route and the shorter Baltal route.
He mentioned that the path to the cave that was earlier about 5 toes huge has now been widened to 12 toes, “and all weak spots alongside the trek have been addressed”.
The annual yatra invitations devotees from all components of the nation and runs for over 40 days. There have additionally been issues about elevated safety measures inflicting site visitors snarls alongside the highways. Nevertheless, the LG mentioned that satisfactory journey advisories for vacationers and locals can be issued nearer to the start of the yatra.
Moreover, with Muharram set to start on June 27, Sinha added that processions in Srinagar “will use the identical routes as final yr”.