First batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims flagged off from Jammu
First batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims was flagged off from Jammu base camp early Wednesday.
Amid tight security arrangements the first batch of over 5,000 pilgrims left for 3,888-metre high cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
On Thursday, Home Minister Rajnath Singh will visit the holy cave shrine Amarnath where he will offer prayers and conduct a physical review of the steps being taken for the safety of the pilgrims.
The Union Minister and senior BJP leader will be among the first batch of pilgrims to offer prayer at Amarnath.
The yatra will be escorted by heavy contingent of security forces to twin base-camps of Amarnath cave shrine in Baltal in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir and Pahalgam belt of South Kashmir.
As many as 2,400 additional personnel of BSF have been deployed in J&K to ensure security during the Amarnath yatra.
The BSF troops have been deployed en route the cave shrine along with personnel of other paramilitary forces and state police forces, a senior officer said.
Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) DK Pathak is currently visiting the state to take stock of the deployment of forces.
Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath shrine stands at 3,888 m, 46 Km from Pahalgam and 14 Kms from Baltal.
In Kashmir Valley, the 59 days annual yatra will start from July 2– an auspicious day of Hindu calendar and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 29.
Over two lakh pilgrims have secured advance registration and 22,104 have purchased helicopter tickets from Baltal and Pahalgam to Panjtarni.
