Service providers reach Baltal base camp to facilitate Yatra
Amarnath Yatra 2015
No unregistered pilgrim will be allowed to visit Baltal: SP Gbl
Hundreds of people have started reaching the Baltal base camp here in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district to facilitate the annual Amarnath Yatra starting from July 2.
Locals mostly tent owners, ponywalas, laborers and shopkeepers have reached Baltal to provide yatris different kinds of services.
The service providers whose business was badly hit by the violent clashes last year following a tussle between a Ponywala and a non local Langar owner here.
This had led to the commotion at the highly fortified Baltal base camp which houses dozens of Langars run by non locals and over 2000 tents and makeshift shops set up by the locals for Amarnath pilgrims.
“We had a huge loss last year due to the clashes,” a tent owner Ab Rashid said .
He said, they hope that the Yatra this year will pass peacefully so that they will earn something for their family.
The service providers hope that the police and security agencies will work to instill a sense of security among the people here.
Speaking to us SP Ganderbal Imtiyaz Ismail said, in order to ensure smooth and incident free yatra this year adequate security arrangements have been put in place.
“Stringent security arrangements have been made to ensure that the yatra is peaceful,” he said.
“Barricades and check points have been created at several places along the routes to ensure that only registered pilgrims proceed to the holy cave from Baltal” SP added.
SP said that besides security arrangements the police will provide all possible help to the pilgrims and service providers.
“We will be keeping a close eye on the situation. No one will be allowed to disturb the atmosphere and create law and order problem,” SP told .
“I can’t give provide the exact number of police personals to be deployed for the job at this time. But I Assure there will be more police force deployed as compared to previous year,” SP said.
He further said that besides the security it is mandatory that the Supreme Court guidelines are implemented in letter and spirit.
Official sources said that the security personals will be deployed for Road Opening Parties (ROP’s), at Base camps and at holy cave to ensure smooth conduct of Yatra.
The annual Amarnath Yatra is commencing from July 2 and ending on August 29.
Sources said that these paramilitary and police personnel would be deployed well before the commencement of Yatra on July 2.
“The number of security personnel can increase during the course of Yatra,” they said.
Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Showket Aijaz said, all the arrangements have been put in place for the smooth conduct of Yatra.
“Adequate arrangements including security, health, sanitation, and water supply have been made to ensure smooth conduct of Yatra” Showket Aijaz told .
He further said that no unregistered Yatri will be allowed to proceed towards Baltal and cave.
DC said that a transit camp has been set up at Manigam, in Ganderbal district to regulate the passage of the pilgrims to Baltal base camp on the Srinagar-Leh highway.
Pertinently, Amarnath cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft), about 141 kms from Srinagar. The cave remains covered with snow most time of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims.
The trek from Baltal to the cave shrine is 14 kilometers long.
It takes the pilgrims four days from the Pahalgam base camp to reach the cave, but those using the Baltal route return back to the base camp after the Darshan on the same day.
