SASB 'apprehensive' about Amarnath yatra commencing next week

With the entire route to Amarnath shrine still buried under a thick blanket of snow, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) authorities today said they have "serious apprehensions" about the commencement of the annual pilgrimage which is scheduled to begin next week.
"In view of the very slow rate of snow melt at Chandanwari along Pahalgam-cave route, serious apprehension was expressed about the possibility of the Yatra commencing from the route on June 28, the date on which the 44-day yatra is scheduled to commence," an official spokesman said after a meeting of the SASB chaired by Governor N N Vohra here.

Vohra, who is also chairman of the SASB, held the meeting to review the status of snow-melt and progress so far achieved in clearance of tracks and sites of the yatra camps enroute to the 3,880 metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas.
"As per the to-date reports, there is one feet of snow at Zojibal, four feet at Sheshnag, seven feet at Mahagunus Top and Poshpatri, one feet at Panjtarni, four feet at Sangam and six feet at the holy Cave," the spokesman said.
Besides the traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, the yatra is also scheduled to commence from a shorter 16-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir on June 28.

The Board's Chief Executive Officer R K Gupta, Additional Chief Executive Officer P P Singh and other senior officers who attended the meeting reported to the Chairman with the to-date status of the ongoing repair and renovation in the Yatra area.