Jammu, July 2 (NVI): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday flagged off the first batch of pilgrims for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra from Jammu, marking the commencement of the pilgrimage amid multi-layered security arrangements across Jammu and Kashmir.
The first convoy of pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal district and Pahalgam in Anantnag district before proceeding to the holy cave shrine in the Himalayas.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by senior civil and police officials, public representatives and devotees, who greeted the pilgrims with chants of “Bam Bam Bhole.”
Speaking on the occasion, BJP leader Jugal Kishore Sharma described the Amarnath Yatra as one of the country’s most revered pilgrimages and expressed confidence that the annual pilgrimage would conclude peacefully and successfully. He appreciated the arrangements made by the administration and prayed for the safe journey of all devotees.
Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma also wished the pilgrims a safe pilgrimage and said the facilities put in place by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) and the administration would ensure a smooth and comfortable Yatra. He expressed hope that this year’s pilgrimage would witness a record turnout.
Meanwhile, a devotional atmosphere prevailed at the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps as thousands of pilgrims raised religious slogans before beginning their onward journey to the cave shrine.
Security has been significantly strengthened for the pilgrimage, with personnel of the CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security agencies deployed along the Yatra routes. A sanitisation drive, assisted by K9 squads, was carried out along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway before the movement of the pilgrim convoy.
Authorities have also put in place extensive surveillance, traffic regulation, medical facilities and other logistical arrangements to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the annual pilgrimage.(NVI)
