12,000 flagged off, 2 lakh expected

SRINAGAR: The first batch of devotees was flagged off from Jammu base camp on Tuesday by minister of higher education GS Charak. They reached Pahalgam and Baltal by evening, from where on Wednesday morning the official yatra will begin.
 
Situated at the altitude of 3,888 meters, the holy Amarnath cave is 44.8 kms from Pahalgam, a four-day trek. However devotees prefer the new 13-km Baltal-cave route which is shorter albeit steeper. Chopper services are also available to pilgrims.

Nearly 10,000 additional security men have been deployed to maintain order during the pilgrimage. CRPF has deployed 50 additional companies to keep militants at bay.

“We have deployed 37 companies in both Baltal and Pahalgam axis. They include two female companies. Nearly 13 companies have been deployed in Jammu which will escort the devotees from Jammu to the base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal,” said Prabkhar Tripathi, public relations officer (PRO), CRPF.

This is in addition to the army, BSF and police contingents that would be deployed en-route to ensure smooth and peaceful yatra. “Security gird is in place and all the four agencies - army, CRPF, BSF and Police - are on the job. We hope that the yatra will be very good this time”, said Dr Arun Kumar, chief executive officer (CEO) of SASB.

h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net