Jammu: The annual Amarnath Yatra was temporarily halted on Wednesday following continuous heavy rainfall in the region. Officials confirmed that the pilgrimage was suspended from both the Pahalgam and Baltal base camps as a safety precaution.
“Shri Amarnathji Yatra suspended for a day from Pahalgam and Baltal,” the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) announced on X (formerly Twitter). Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri stated that due to persistent rain since early morning, the pilgrimage routes from Baltal and Nunwan/Chandanwari had not been opened.
The Yatra, which began on July 3 and is scheduled to conclude on August 9, has already seen significant turnout. According to DIPR, over 3.93 lakh pilgrims have visited the holy Amarnath cave shrine so far.
Situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres in South Kashmir, the Amarnath shrine is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites in India. Devotees can reach the cave via the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route or the shorter 14-km Baltal route, which is steeper.
Meanwhile, the Budha Amarnath Yatra also began this week, with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagging off the first batch of pilgrims from Jammu on Sunday. He praised the administration’s arrangements, emphasizing that over a thousand pilgrims had set out for the Budha Amarnath shrine.
