AmarnathYatra deferred via Pahalgam route

Track under heavy snow: SASB

A high-level meeting Wednesday decided to defer the upcoming AmarnathYatra from the Pahalgam route in South Kashmir in view of heavy snow accumulation along the route. The annual pilgrimage is scheduled to commence from June 28.
An official spokesman said the Governor NN Vohra, who is the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, undertook a day-long tour of the Cave Shrine, PanjtarniYatra Camp, 
Sheshnag Camp via 14500-feet high Mahagunus Pass and also the PahalgamYatra Camp. “It was observed that snow track along Panjtarni-Mahagunus Top-Sheshnag is still under very significant snow. After the Governor’s inspection of the area along with CEO and senior officers of Army, BSF, CRPF and others, it was observed that, on an average, the entire Camp site is still covered by one-and-a-half to two-ft snow,” the spokesman said.
He said on his return to Srinagar, the Governor held a meeting with DGP K Rajendra Kumar; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Shailendra Kumar; IGP Kashmir Abdul Gani Mir; RK Gupta, CEO and Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO. “After detailed discussion, the meeting chaired decided in view of considerable snow accumulation in the entire SheshnagYatra Camp, and also keeping in view the present status of the track from Sheshnag Camp-Mahagunus Pass-Panjtarni Camp, the Yatra via the Pahalgam-Sheshnag route would not commence on 28th June,” the spokesman said. 
He said the Governor directed that the pace of the ongoing clearing of snow and repair and renovation work should be further enhanced. “The meeting further decided that the pilgrims registered to undertake the Yatra from the Pahalgam route on 28th/29th/30th June would, if they so wish, be enabled to travel to the Shrine by the Baltal route which would open on 28th June, as scheduled,” the spokesman said. “It was decided that another meeting, to be chaired by the Governor, would be held on 30th June afternoon to review whether the Pahalgam route could be opened from 1st July morning.”