Kashmir, June 09 : On Friday, Chinook helicopters from the Indian Air Force (IAF) were deployed to transport snow clearance equipment for the Border Roads Organization (BRO), which has been assigned the task of reopening the tracks leading to the sacred Amarnath mountain shrine.
The Chinook helicopters transported the equipment from Sonamarg to Panchtarni, situated at an elevation of 11,500 feet, along the path to the cave shrine.
The BRO’s Project Beacon has been entrusted with the responsibility of clearing the snow and expediting the restoration of the tracks to ensure they are ready for pilgrims by 15 June.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the mountain shrine is scheduled to commence on 1 July.
The scope of work includes snow clearance, track widening, restoration of foot bridges, installation of handrails, and construction of protective walls.
Recently, Lt. Gen. Rajeev Chaudhry, the Director General of Border Roads (DGBR), conducted a visit to Baltal and Chandanwari to inspect the progress of work on both Yatra Tracks. The DGBR received a detailed briefing from the chief engineer of Project Beacon regarding the status of various tasks being undertaken by the BRO and the projected completion plan before the start of the pilgrimage.
The DGBR assured that despite the time lost due to adverse weather conditions in April and May, the tracks will be made available to the Civil Administration by the desired date of 15 June. Furthermore, the DGBR mentioned that restoration work for further track improvement will continue even after this year’s pilgrimage, aiming to provide better quality tracks in the future.
Previously, the track from Baltal to the Holy Cave was maintained by PWD (R&B), while the track from Chandanwari to the Holy Cave was under the care of the Pahalgam Development Authority. In September of last year, these tracks were handed over to the BRO for maintenance and upgrades.
Snow clearance activities, utilizing heavy machinery, began on both tracks in the last week of March this year. In addition to the progress made in clearing the snow, extra machinery and manpower were deployed for other restoration works. More than eight dozers, excavators, and nearly 1,100 laborers are currently working on the tracks. Although unprecedented snowfall and rain in the higher reaches of Kashmir during April and May posed challenges, the BRO remains committed to completing the task on time.
