Srinagar:
For the first time, 100 post offices across the country will register pilgrims for the annual Amarnath
yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Monday as authorities battled massive damage to the Baltal base camp due to snowfall just a month ahead of the 2012 tour.
The chief executive officer (CEO) of the
yatra, Navin K. Choudhary on Monday concluded a four-day visit to the Baltal base camp and inspected the snow situation and facilities for this year's pilgrimage scheduled to start next month.
"The road to the north Kashmir Baltal base camp was opened just two days back. There is 20 to 25 feet deep accumulated snow on the ground. Due to this year's heavy snowfall, the police camp at Baltal has been completely wiped out and there has been massive damage to other pre-fabricated structures at the base camp," said the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the pilgrimage.
The Himalayan cave of Amarnath contains an ice stalagmite structure believed to symbolise the mystic powers of Lord
Shiva and draws thousands of pilgrims.
The registration of pilgrims this year will begin on May 7 and the
yatra will start on June 25. The
yatra will conclude on August 2, coinciding with the Raksha Bandhan festival.
"For the first time, 100 post offices across the country will also register for the
yatra along with 174 branches of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank," the SASB said.
During his visit to Baltal, Mr Choudhary also inspected the helipad where the existing structures have been nearly destroyed due to massive avalanches.
"The CEO underscored the need for hard work and extra efforts for re-establishing these infrastructures in time for the
yatra," the statement said.
While the road from south Kashmir Pahalgam base camp to Chandanwari has been opened for vehicular traffic, the advance party could not move beyond Chandanwari to Sheshnag to inspect the snow accumulation there, the statement said.
While the north Kashmir trek from Baltal base camp to the Amarnath cave shrine is 14-km long and pilgrims using this route return the same day after the
darshan, the south Kashmir trek from Pahalgam base camp is 42-km long and pilgrims take four days to reach the cave.
The SASB authorities have said no pilgrim will be allowed to undertake the
yatra without registration and the intending pilgrims have been advised to ensure their registration.