Registration for annual Amarnath yatra to begin on March 1

The registration for 60-day annual Amarnath yatra, which will commence on June 28, will begin on March 1, a senior official said today.
The registration will take place through 440 branches of the Punjab National Bank, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank and the YES Bank across the country, said Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor and Chief Executive Officer Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Chairman of the Amarnathji Shrine Board, today reviewed the arrangements being made for the yatra, which is scheduled to begin on June 28 and conclude on August 26.

Vohra directed the SASB CEO to ensure no person below the age of 13 years or above 75 years is registered even though he or she might have obtained the compulsory health certificate.
The governor was given a detailed report about the arrangements being made in the yatra area along both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes which, inter-alia, include facilities of providing water supply, electricity, overnight stay accommodation, temporary latrines and baths for the yatris and sanitation arrangements.
As approved by the governor, the CEO will incur an expenditure of nearly Rs 1.50 crore for procuring 629 new pre-fabricated latrines and baths, which include 243 European type and 286 Indian-type latrines and 100 baths, to replace the damaged units.

It was further informed that 2750 latrines, of which 499 are English type, shall be installed during the ensuing yatra, which is 157 more than in the previous year.

No unauthorised tent or shop should be pitched in any camp, the governor directed.
Narula informed the governor adequate arrangements would be in place for extending medical facilities to the yatris by the health department, the army and the security forces.
These will include adequately equipped base hospitals, medical aid centers and emergency aid centers.
The governor was also informed about the status of the project to upgrade the technology of the Sewage Treatment Plant at the Nunwan Base Camp.

A detailed project report for modernisation of this STP has been prepared and the process of tendering the work has been initiated, he said.