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| AMARANTH YATRA | | SASB taking second thoughts as snow accumulates on tracks | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 21: The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board appears to be on second thoughts on keeping the already announced schedule of annual pilgrimage to the South Kashmir holy cave in view accumulating snow blocking the tracks to the cave.
The Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, NN Vohra, reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra at a high level meeting here today.
During the meeting, the Chairman, who is the Governor J&K, was informed that work on restoration of the track on both axis has already begun and preparatory work for putting in place other logistic facilities like tentage, langars, sanitation facilities, etc. is progressing at a brisk pace at both the Base Camps of the Yatra, at Nunwan and Baltal. However, the advance Police party have not been able to cross Pissu Top so far in view of heavy snow on the track to the Holy Cave. The Chairman had received an urgent report in this regard. On the Baltal route also, the labour dispatched for the repair of the track has not been able to go beyond Sangam so far. The personnel of CRPF deployed on duty at the Holy Cave are also presently camping at Baltal, not having been able to move to their designated locations.
Keeping in view the unusual level of accumulated snow and the present state of precipitation and temperature conditions in the Yatra area, the Governor, who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), has decided to have another aerial survey of both the Pahalgam-Holy Cave and Baltal-Holy Cave axis on May 24 to make an on-spot assessment of the position with a view to assessing the feasibility of commencing this year’s Yatra to the Holy Shrine on June 7, 2009, as earlier decided and announced by the Board.
Further, while finalising the details of the helicopter services on the Baltal-Holy Cave route, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has asked the operators to make advance booking only from June 17, 2009 with a view to ensuring against any avoidable inconvenience being caused to the intending pilgrims on account of inclement weather conditions and any likely postponement of the date of commencement of this year’s Yatra in case the weather conditions remain abnormal.
A Spokesperson of the Board has clarified that in case the snows melt in the next few days and the Yatra can commence on the 7th June, 2009, the helicopter operators will make all required arrangements for on-spot helicopter bookings at Baltal. The Spokesperson has further advised that the intending pilgrims may keep the obtaining weather conditions in mind while finalising their travel arrangements for the Yatra.
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