Bad weather forces suspension of Amarnath Yatra

Jammu, Aug 14: The Amarnath Yatra was suspended for the second consecutive day on Tuesday from Jammu city due to inclement weather, officials said.

The yatra has been suspended from Bagwatinagar base camp in Jammu due to heavy rains and bad weather conditions resulting in closure of the highway, they said.

No pilgrim is allowed to proceed towards the shrine from Jammu, they said. The 60-day annual yatra commenced from the twin tracks on June 28 and is scheduled to conclude on August 26 coinciding with 'Raksha Bandhan' festival.

Yesterday, 657 pilgrims paid obeisance at the shrine and till date 2,79,535 pilgrims have visited the holy cave, the spokesman said.

The number of pilgrims undertaking the yatra has marked a sharp dip over the past fortnight owing to the early melting of the naturally formed ice-Shivlingam at the sanctum sanctorum.

PTI