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| Amarnath Yatra proceeds Ram Barosay | | Confused, clueless officials mess up Yatra | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 1- Although this year’s annual Yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine of Amarnath has begun with thousands of enthusiastic pilgrims undertaking the Yatra with full religious fervor, the official management of this sacred pilgrimage leaves much to be desired.
Confusion, lack of coordination, lack of basic facilities at the two base camps and overcrowding are posing serious threats to the smooth conduct of this year’s Yatra.
Only yesterday, over six thousands pilgrims started shouting slogans against the authorities in north Kashmir Baltal camp for the chaos and confusion that is being witnessed at the base camp these days.
On the first day, officials said 5,000 Yatris had been allowed to move towards the Cave Shrine from Baltal, the actual number that left the base camp for ‘Darshan’ on that day was over 16,000!
Similarly, officials confirmed that only 2000 Yatris had been allowed to move towards Chandanwari from Pahalgam on the first day while actually more than 7000 started the 43-kilometre long mountain trek from Pahalgam camp on the first day.
To make the confusion worse, authorities said yesterday only 3000 pilgrims were camped at the Manigam transit camp en route to Baltal camp. The actual number of Yatris who camped at the transit camp yesterday was 8000.
These figures confirm the earlier apprehensions that the management of the Yatra had fallen into confused hands. Yatris both at Pahalgam and Baltal have been complaining of mismanagement and confusion.
It is strange that while the authorities said only 5000 Yatris had been allowed on the first day from Baltal and another 2000 from Pahalgam base camps towards the Cave Shrine how did the officials arrive at the figure of 35,000 pilgrims having performed the Yatra in just two days?
It appears the mismatch of numbers is throwing the entire system and management of the Yatra haywire. When the officials say they have to clear the passage for just 5000 Yatris what they are actually dealing with is more than 16000.
“The problem is that nobody is stopping the passage of unregistered pilgrims into the Valley from the Jammu region. When officially we are supposed to arrange for 5000 Yatris, the number we receive in the evening from Jammu has been more than three times this number. Our problem is that once a family of Yatris has crossed the Jawahar Tunnel and are already in Pahalgam or Baltal how can we not allow them to perform the Yatra,” said an official entrusted with the Yatra duties in Anantnag district.
Many officials presently detailed for security, sanitation, board and lodge of the Yatris in the Valley have been expressing their frustration because of the heavy rush of Yatris especially those who haven’t registered themselves anywhere for this year’s Yatra.
Traffic jams running into long hours have become a routine along the 84-kilometre long Srinagar-Baltal national highway. The situation has become worse from Ganderbal town ahead as buses, taxis, private cars and SUVs are parked on the highway as the passage of the Yatris is often stopped because of the rush already existing at the Baltal base camp.
“Why were we not told of this rush when we started from the Yatri Niwas in Jammu? I and my family have been stranded in the car for more than six hours on the road. What sort of arrangement is this? Where are the basic facilities the authorities have been advertising through national newspapers? How can a management talk of basic facilities when they have no control even on the traffic on the Yatra route?” said Sanjay Kumar, 34, who has come for the Yatra from Hissar.
Given the mishandling of the Yatra by the authorities this year it appears the coming days are going to add both to the increasing flow of the Yatris into J&K state and the resulting mess which has been created by officials who appear to be clueless as to how many Yatris they have to handle every day. Has the State government then decided to let the Yatra happen only on Ram Barosay? Somebody at the top must answer this question. Ends
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