SRINAGAR, APRIL 03: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday chaired a meeting with the senior officials of Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) and executing agencies and reviewed the progress for the development of Disaster Management and Yatri Niwas Complexes.
The Lieutenant Governor took an appraisal of the works under execution at Baltal, Nunwan, Sidhra, and Bijbehara.
He directed the officials and executing agencies to expedite the ongoing works being carried out at different locations to further improve the facilities for the devotees. He also directed for completing the vital infrastructure projects at Baltal and Nunwan base camps before the commencement of Yatra.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Executive Officer, SASB, senior officials of SASB, and executive agencies.
This year, the 38-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,880 metres high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir will commence on July 3, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The decision to this effect was taken at the 48th board meeting of Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) under the chairmanship of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan, he said.
“This year, the yatra will commence on July 3, simultaneously from both the routes – the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district, and it will culminate on August 9 on Raksha Bandhan,” the spokesperson said.
He said the meeting was attended by members of the shrine board which proposed various measures and interventions to further improve the facilities and services for the devotees.
Considering the likely increased inflow of pilgrims for the Amarnath Yatra, the meeting discussed measures for the enhancement of lodgement capacity at centres in Jammu, Srinagar and other locations, operationalization of yatri facilitation centres for e-KYC, issuance of RFID cards, on-spot registration of pilgrims at number of locations including Nowgam and Katra railway stations, the spokesperson said.
He said it was further discussed that these facilities must also be suitably enhanced at Baltal, Pahalgam, Nunwan, and Pantha Chowk, Srinagar, as per the requirement.