Jammu, July 12: Amid stringent security arrangements, the 10th batch of over 7,800 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims embarked on their journey from the Jammu base camp in the early hours of Wednesday towards the twin base camps in Kashmir, according to officials. The yatra, which had been temporarily suspended for three days due to repairs on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway in the Ramban section, resumed from the Jammu base camp on Tuesday afternoon.
Since July 1, a total of 137,353 pilgrims have already visited the revered Amarnath shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,888 meters in the south Kashmir Himalayas. The annual 62-day pilgrimage began from Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1 and is scheduled to conclude on August 31.
In the latest batch, 7,805 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in a convoy of 339 vehicles around 3:15 am. Out of these, 4,677 pilgrims are headed for Pahalgam in a convoy of 207 vehicles, while 3,128 pilgrims left for the Baltal base camp in a convoy of 132 vehicles.
With this departure, the number of pilgrims leaving the Jammu base camp for the Valley has reached 56,303 since June 30, when the first batch embarked on the yatra. Delighted by their safe journey, Sunita Devi from Assam expressed gratitude, stating that their prayers were answered by Lord Shiva, allowing them to visit his divine abode. Sunita was part of a group of 23 people who had been stranded in Jammu for the past seven days.
The recent closure of the highway due to heavy rainfall and subsequent floods caused significant damage, particularly in the Ramban district. However, the administration swiftly reconstructed the damaged road within hours, ensuring the resumption of the pilgrimage. Sunita Devi acknowledged the efforts of the authorities, stating that they fulfilled her wish of visiting the revered Barfani Baba.
