Last year, 2,60,003 pilgrims had visited the Holy cave shrine in the entire pilgrimage period of 40 days
Amid heightened security, the 2018 Amarnath Yatra achieved a first major milestone on Tuesday when the pilgrims visiting the holy cave shrine crossed the two lakh mark in just 20 days of the pilgrimage.
Chief Exective Officer (CEO) of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) Umang Narula said 2,01,582 pilgrims had darshan of Shivling at the Holy Cave Shrine in the last 20 days. On the 20th day of the Yatra, 4,140 Yatris paid obeisance at Holy Cave on Tuesday.
Last year, 2,60,003 pilgrims had visited the Holy cave shrine in the entire pilgrimage period of 40 days.
CEO said the Yatra was suspended on Tuesday from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to the continuous rainfall overnight. However, limited helicopter services operated from both Neelgrath and Pahalgam helipads.
The annual Amarnath Yatra started on Jyestha Purnima (on June 28) and the 60 days of pilgrimage will conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 26.
The Amarnath cave is accessible from two routes in Kashmir Valley. The 46-km Pahalgam trek is an ancient route covered in five days. The new 14-km Baltal-Holy cave route is now preferred by the pilgrims since journey can be completed in a day.
This year weather vagaries had forced the authorities to suspend Yatra several times. Notwithstanding rains, snow, shooting stones and slush, the Yatra achieved the milestone and crossed two lakh mark.
This year the Yatra is being held under highest ever security cover. More than 24,000 troops of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been deployed for smooth Yatra this year.
Official figures say 213 companies of CAPF will be deployed this year, as against the 181 companies in 2017. Around 32 companies of Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) and Indian Reserve Police (IRP) has also been deployed; last year, 23 companies of JKAP and IRP were deployed for Yatra duties. Besides, the Indian Army is sanitising the upper reaches and dominate the heights to ensure smooth and peaceful pilgrimage.
Technology has also come handy for the authorities to protect this year's Amaranth Yatra. From the state-of-the-art drones to RFID (radio-frequency identification device) to CCTVs, authorities are using technology to the hilt to ensure smooth, peaceful and incident-free Amarnath pilgrimage this year.
"Forty percent is over, sixty percent still to go. The real milestone will be when the Yatra culminates safe and sound. People of Kashmir needs a special mention for their cooperation in the smooth conduct of the Yatra," said Ravideep Sahi, Inspector General of CRPF, Srinagar sector.
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