Ahead of the annual Amarnath yatra, Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today discussed with CRPF Director General K Durga Prasad the operational arrangements for it and ways to meet the arising challenges in the state.
The DG CRPF and Vohra discussed the smooth conduct of Amarnath yatra, which is scheduled to begin on July 2, an official spokesman said.
"The Governor and DG Prasad discussed the obtaining and emerging internal security situation and the operational arrangements being made to meet the arising challenges, besides the smooth conduct of the forthcoming Shri Amarnathji yatra-2016," the spokesman said.
Despite the law and order problem, the number of pilgrims
crossed the two lakh mark on July 24. But the arrivals declined after that, with over 20,000 pilgrims paying obeisance in the last 25 days. Early melting of the ice- shivlingam was one of the reasons for the decline in the number, the officials said.
A record 6.36 lakh pilgrims participated in the yatra in 2011 and 6.22 lakh the next year.
The subsequent years saw a decline in the footfall. In 2013, 3.53 lakh; in 2014, 3.72 lakh and in 2015, 3.52 lakh pilgrims participated.
In 2008, when Jammu and Kashmir witnessed protests in the wake of the Amarnath land row, a total of 5.33 lakh pilgrims joined the yatra, followed by 3.81 lakh in 2009 and 4.55 lakh in 2010, when the Valley faced violent agitation over alleged human rights violation.
About 2.96 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine in 2007.
This year, most of the pilgrims preferred the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir over the traditional Pahalgam route, the officials said.
