Shri Amarnath Yatra from Pahalgam route deferred - Pilgrimage to start from Baltal route as scheduled
Srinagar (Kashmir - J&K), June 25, 2014 - In the past weeks the Governor, Shri N.N. Vohra, who is the Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) undertook aerial reconnaissance of the entire Shri Amarnathji Yatra area, which was followed by on-ground surveys by Shri R.K. Gupta, CEO of SASB, and by Shri Shailendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir.
Today, the Governor and CEO undertook an extensive day long tour to visit the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji, Panjtarni Yatra Camp, Sheshnag Yatra Camp via 14500 feet high Mahagunus Pass and the Pahalgam Yatra Camp. It was observed that the snow track along Panjtarni-Mahagunus Top-Sheshnag is still under very significant snow cover. After the inspection of the area of the Sheshnag Yatra Camp by the Governor, along with CEO and senior officers of J&K State Administration, Army, BSF, CRPF and others, it was observed that the entire Camp site is still covered by one and a half to two feet of snow.
On return to Srinagar later in the day, the Governor held a meeting with Shri K. Rajendra, Director General Police, J&K; Shri Shailendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Shri Abdul Gani Mir, IGP, Kashmir; Shri R. K. Gupta, CEO, SASB and Shri Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO, SASB. Director General Police, J&K and the IG, Kashmir, had also visited the Yatra area today and particularly viewed the ground situation in Camps enroute Shri Amarnath.
After detailed discussions the meeting chaired by the Governor, keeping in view the considerable snow accumulation in the entire area of the Sheshnag Yatra Camp, and also keeping in view the present status of the track from Sheshnag Camp -Mahagunus Pass - Panjtarni Camp, it has been decided that Shri Amarnath 2014 via the Pahalgam - Sheshnag route would not commence on the 28th June.
The Governor directed that the pace of the ongoing clearing of snows and repair and renovation work should be further enhanced and he would review the progress every day. The meeting further decided that the pilgrims who are registered to undertake the Yatra from the Pahalgam route on 28th - 29th - 30th June, 2014 would, if they so wished, be enabled to travel to the Shri Amarnath Shrine by the Baltal route, which would open on 28th June, 2014, as scheduled.
It was further decided that a meeting, chaired by the Governor, would be held on 30th June afternoon to review whether the Pahalgam route could be opened w.e.f. 1stJuly, 2014 morning.
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