Banihal/Jammu, Jul 22 – A fresh batch of more than 3,000 Amarnath pilgrims, who set out from the base camp in Jammu, faced a setback on Saturday as their convoy was halted in Ramban. The authorities closed the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in response to heavy rains and landslides, leading to traffic suspension along the 270-km crucial road, which serves as the sole all-weather link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country.
Officials reported landslides in the Mehar and Dalwas regions along the highway, prompting immediate action to ensure the safety of the travelers. The 20th batch of 3,472 pilgrims embarked on their journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu, traveling in 132 vehicles. However, the convoy came to a stop at Chanderkote due to the highway closure.
Among the pilgrims, 2,515 are scheduled to undertake the yatra to the revered Amarnath cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas via Pahalgam in Anantnag district, while 957 are set to take the Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Since its commencement on July 1, more than three lakh pilgrims have already undertaken the pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine, located at an altitude of 3,880 meters.
Authorities are actively engaged in road clearance operations in the affected areas to expedite the restoration of traffic flow on the highway, as per the updates provided by the traffic department officials.
The meteorological department official informed that light to moderate rains and thunderstorms have been reported in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The region is expected to experience continuous rainfall throughout the day, with certain areas like Kathua district likely to encounter heavy spells. This will be followed by intermittent light to moderate rain in scattered places on Sunday.
Additionally, in the outskirts of Jammu, a Gujjar hamlet at Ghadkhal in the Akhnoor sector was submerged due to the rise in the water level of the Chenab river. The current water level at Akhnoor was reported to be 29.6 feet, approaching the flood alert level of 32 feet, according to officials.
