Registration for Amarnath Yatra 2022 to begin on April 11, check how and where to apply

New Delhi, Apr 08: In the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the 43-day long holy pilgrimage to Amarnath Yatra 2022 will commence on June 30 with all covid protocols in place and shall culminate as per the tradition on Shravan Purnima, on August 11, the day of Raksha-Bandhan festival.

The decision to commence the Yatra on 30th June this year was taken in the 41st Board meeting of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board at Jammu recently under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Giving latest update, Nitishwar Kumar, CEO, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board said that the online registration for the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra will start on 11th of this month.

"Registration for Yatra will start on 11 April in 446 Branches of J&K Bank, PNB Bank, Yes Bank and 100 branches of SBI Bank across the country. We are expecting more than 3 lakh pilgrims. In Ramban, a Yatri Niwas has been made which can accommodate 3000 pilgrims," Nitishwar Kumar added.

Further, Kumar said that RFID will be given to pilgrims by which the Shrine board can track the pilgrims. The insurance coverage period for pony handlers has been increased to one year, while the insurance cover for pilgrims increased from Rs 3 lakh to 5 lakh this year, he said.

Amarnath Yatra could not be held during the last two years because of the outbreak of covid and consequently, the administration had to cancel it due to the unprecedented surge in Covid-19 pandemic.

AIR correspondent reports that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has called upon the officials to be proactive and ensure elaborate arrangements for conducting a smooth Amarnath Yatra as a large number of devotees of Lord Shiva are expected to arrive and pay their obeisance at the Holy Cave this year.

He also said the government is introducing RFID system for pilgrims to track their movements en route the holy cave shrine to ensure their well-being. He laid special emphasis on providing best-in-class health facilities to all the visiting devotees, strengthening telecommunication services besides the use of latest technological measures to achieve optimal synergy between the different government departments and agencies.

It is worthwhile to mention that key preparations have already been made for this year's Amarnath Yatra with increased capacity for Accommodation, new Yatri Niwas Bhawans, Heli Services, augmented health facilities, and many other unique initiatives for the benefit of visiting Yatris.

Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) also decided that the forthcoming Yatra would commence simultaneously from both Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district with a daily route-wise pilgrims ceiling of 10,000 excluding Yatri's who would travel by helicopters. Free-of-cost battery car service would also be provided to the Yatris on three Kms Baltal to Domel stretch.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has also called for wide publicity of the Yatra and has directed the officials to explore the possibility of involving additional public and private banks and their branches in providing yatra permits.