Over 20,000 pilgrims pay obeisance at Amartnath shrine

Srinagar, Jul 6: Over 20,000 pilgrims today paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas even as the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) released 8,400 slots to accommodate unregistered yatris as part of efforts to ensure peaceful yatra.

"On the 5th day of the ongoing Shri Amarnathji Yatra 20,822 Yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave. Till date 65,495 yatris have had darshan of the Ice Lingam at the shrine," an official spokesman said.

This is the highest number of pilgrims paying obeisance in a single day since the commencement of the 59-day yatra from the two routes of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Pahalgam in Anantnag district on July 2. The spokesman said 8,400 slots were released by the SASB for on-spot registration at various counters for the Yatra commencing on July 9 and 10 from the two access control gates at Baltal and Chandanwari-Pahalgam.

"The slots are available on first come first serve basis. The yatris have been advised to undertake the Yatra on the respective date of registration to avoid any inconvenience," he said. The spokesman advised the pilgrims who have not yet registered to undertake advance registration which closes eight days prior to intended date of commencement of Yatra.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh interacted with the community kitchen operators here and assured them that the necessary instructions have already been passed to the officers concerned to provide every possible help to them so that they can effectively discharge their duties of providing free langar facilities to the devotees. Singh also flagged off a 24x7 ambulance with the requisite ICU facilities for the yatris, the spokesman said.

PTI