Amarnath Yatra temporarily halted due to heavy rains

• Image Credit: Internet

• Jul 14, 2022 | Dhupali Das

The yatra was previously halted on July 5 and 8 after significant rains and cloudburst...

Digital Desk: Due to bad weather, the Amarnath Yatra was temporarily halted on Thursday morning (July 14). No pilgrim was permitted to travel from the Pahalgam or Baltal camps to the holy cave. 

The yatra was previously halted on July 5 and 8 after significant rains and cloudbursts.

Meanwhile, over 1.44 lakh Yatris have joined in the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, with another group of 5,449 pilgrims departing Jammu for the Valley on Thursday.

According to officials of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), 16,457 of the 1,44,457 pilgrims who have already completed the Yatra received darshan on Wednesday. Another group of 5,449 pilgrims started on the Yatra from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in two escorted convoys.

Of these, 1666 are headed for the base camp in Baltal, while 3783 are headed for Pahalgam.

Those taking the traditional Pahalgam route, which is longer, must walk 48 kilometres over the course of four days, whilst those taking the shorter Baltal route have to trek 14 km.

For the Yatris, there are helicopter services available on both routes.

After a hiatus of more than two years caused by covid-19, the annual 43-day pilgrimage began on June 30 from the twin base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam in the Anantnag district of south Kashmir and Baltal camp in the Ganderbal region of central Kashmir.

The Yatra will conclude on August 11, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.