500 men to clear Amarnath track; cell facility for pilgrims

Srinagar, Jun 2 (UNI) About 500 labourers have been deployed for clearing the track leading to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath from Pahalgam onwards till June 8 even as pilgrims from this year would avail the cellular facility, an official spokesman said today.

A high-level meeting chaired by the District Development Commissioner, Anantnag at Pahalgam, reviewed the arrangements for the annual two-month-long pilgrimage, commencing on June 11.

Giving details about the arrangements made for the pilgrimage via the Pahalgam route, the Pahalgam Development Authority Chief Executive Officer said the track from Chandanwari to the holy cave has been cleared.

He said 500 labourers have been deployed for making the track more comfortable and clear snow in some areas while assuring that pilgrims would not face any difficulty this year.

The meeting was told that tents, medicare, electricity, drinking water and other facilities would be made available at various halting points enroute the cave.

Besides setting up of public call offices (PCOs) at different places, the mobile service would also be made available for pilgrims. Sufficient quantity of firewood has been stocked at different stations besides 4,600 LPG cylinders would also be made available, the meeting said.

The District Commissioner stressed upon the officials to complete the arrangements at all stations by June 8 so that pilgrimage commenced on the scheduled date.

The meeting was attended among others by GOC XV Crops Lt Gen S S Dhillion, the CRPF DIG and the SSP Anantnag.

UNI AG RR ND1822