With improving weather, officials have completed safety checks and permitted devotees to continue their journey. Pilgrims departing from the Jammu base camp can currently travel only via the Baltal route, which has been deemed safe for passage. Conversely, the Pahalgam route remains closed due to ongoing adverse weather conditions affecting that area.
Officials continue to monitor weather and road conditions to ensure the journey is safe for all. Pilgrims are also encouraged to adhere to all official guidelines during the Yatra.
According to PTI, the weather made both the 48 km Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14 km Baltal route in Ganderbal hazardous for pilgrims heading to the 3,880-metre high Amarnath cave. As conditions improved, the 18th batch of 6,269 pilgrims, including 1,470 women, 25 children, and 54 sadhus, departed for the Baltal base camp. The convoy, consisting of 223 vehicles, began its journey at approximately 2:40 am under strict security measures.
This year’s Amarnath Yatra is set to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. So far, nearly four lakh devotees have visited the holy cave, with around 1.2 lakh pilgrims starting their journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
Persistent heavy rainfall has also resulted in the temporary closure of the Doda Pul Doda Road, Pul Doda Ghat GMC Road, and numerous other link roads.
According to Doda Deputy Commissioner Krishan Lal, the administration is closely monitoring the situation as rivers and streams in the district are flowing at dangerously high levels. As a precaution, residents living near rivers have been relocated to safer areas following the rise in water levels.
He also mentioned that 56 internal roads in the district remain closed due to the heavy rainfall, while teams are actively working to reopen them as quickly as possible.
