The rising cost of Amarnath yatra

Pahalgam: Bad weather and over-crowding are perhaps the biggest problems for Amarnath pilgrims this year. But for some others, it's the rising cost of this journey that's becoming a bigger problem.

After considerable planning for well over two months, a family of 11 decided to travel from Gujarat to Pahalgam for the Amarnath Yatra .

Now running short on money, they have been forced to abandon the yatra midway at Sheshnaag, 30 kilometers from the yatra base camp, in Pahalgam.

A visit to the Amarnath cave on horseback can cost anywhere between Rs 3200 to Rs 5,000 rupees per person.

The government has prescribed Rs 3200 rupees for a round trip on the longer Pahalgam route. But that's just the minimum, and it all depends on the pony wallah.

"No pony wallah goes by the government prescribed rate, they demand more money," said Nattu Bhai, a pilgrim.

While pilgrims say they are being charged heavily by the pony wallahs, pony wallahs have their own share of problems, they say nobody is concerned about their plight.

The registered pony wallahs say the unregistered ones are eating into their business and it's the yatris who are willing to pay more to save time.

"Only the pony wallahs registered by the tourism department must be allowed to do the job. We charge more than Rs 3200 when the rush is more, that time we are questioned, but where is the government when the rush is less and we charge only Rs 1200," said Nazir Ahmad Bhat, pony wallah.

The Amarnath yatra is incomplete without the support of pony wallahs, but it seems the system need to be overhauled so that people like Nattu Bhai do not have to return disappointed without performing the darshan, and pony wallahs also get a fair deal.