Page 4 - Amarnath Yatra

ONGC sets up 2 100-bed hosps at twin base camps for Amarnath pilgrims

ONGC has set up two 100-bed hospitals at the twin Amarnath base camps in Kashmir and announced that the facilities would continue to operate post the annual yatra. The 52-day pilgrimage commenced from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-kilometre shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal -- early on Saturday. The yatra is scheduled to commence on August 19. ONGC said it teamed up with the health and medical education department to bolster the region's healthcare infrastructure. Recognising the need for sustainable healthcare infrastructure, ONGC, under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, constructed permanent hospitals at Baltal and Chandanwari-Pahalgam in Anantnag, it said in a statement. Each of these hospitals are equipped with 100 beds, lodging facilities for medical staff and intensive care units that would serve as primary health centres and provide essential medical services to local communities, it ...

PM Narendra Modi greets Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, to conclude on Aug 19

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted pilgrims on the start of the Amarnath Yatra, saying the 'darshan' of Lord Shiva is known to infuse immense energy in his followers. The annual Amarnath Yatra began early Saturday as the first batch of pilgrims left the twin base camps in Baltal and Nunwan to start their journey to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. "My heartfelt best wishes to all pilgrims on the commencement of the holy Amarnath Yatra. This yatra associated with the darshan of Baba Barfani infuses immense energy in the devotees of Lord Shiva. May all devotees prosper with his blessings. Jai Baba Barfani, Modi said in a post on X in Hindi. The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19.

Amarnath Yatra 2024: Check routes, security, do's & don'ts and more

The 52-day-long Amarnath pilgrimage to South Kashmir is starting from June 29. The J&K administration has issued guidelines for smooth and secure pilgrimage

LG Sinha visits Amarnath yatra base camp in Jammu, reviews arrangements

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday night visited the base camp of Amarnath yatra in Jammu and reviewed the final arrangements for the pilgrimage. Amid multi-security escort, the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims will depart for twin base camps in Kashmir from Jammu on Friday, marking the beginning of this year's pilgrimage from here. Sinha, who was accompanied by Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain and top civil and security officials, took a round of the base camp at Bhagwati Nagar and chaired a meeting to review the final arrangements. The Lieutenant Governor also met and interacted with the pilgrims. Subsequently, he chaired a meeting with the officials and reviewed the measures taken to facilitate the comfortable stay of the pilgrims, officials said. He was briefed on the extensive arrangements made for the smooth pilgrimage of the devotees. Sinha directed the stakeholder departments to deploy adequate manpower to cater to the heavy rush of the pilgrims. He als

Amarnath Yatra: Police conducts mock drill ahead of annual pilgrimage

Ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, the quick reaction teams (QRTs) and special operations group (SoG) of the police on Monday conducted a comprehensive mock drill at the base camp of the pilgrimage in Jammu. This comes close on the heels of Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewing the security situation and the preparations for the annual pilgrimage. The 52-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in south Kashmir will start on June 29 and conclude on August 19. The police carried out a comprehensive mock drill exercise at base camp yatri niwas in Bhagwati Nagar here, officials said. First responder team of sub division headquarters, including all territorial officers from the sub division, were involved in the exercise. The SOG Jammu, along with other territorial Police officers from adjacent sub divisions and their QRTs, also participated in the drill, they said. "The primary objective of this exercise was to provide practical training to the entire team, ensuring the

HM Shah reviews J-K security situation, preparations for Amarnath Yatra

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, sources said. The home minister will also review the preparations for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage set to start on June 29. Shah will chair a high-level meeting here at North Block, three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a similar meeting where he directed officials to deploy the "full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities" after a spate of terror incidents, including an attack on a bus carrying pilgrims. The home minister is expected to give broad guidelines to intensify counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Army Chief-designate Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Director General of CRPF Anish Dayal Singh, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police

ADGP Jammu reviews emergency safety arrangements for Amarnath Yatra

Jammu ADGP reviewed the arrangements for the yatra for the establishment of joint control rooms for better and closer coordination between all agencies to ensure the smooth conduct of the yatra

Morning aarti performed at Amarnath Shrine, 62-day-long yatra culminates

The visuals showed sadhus and pilgrims performing the morning aarti and offering prayers at the Shri Amarnath Cave Shrine

Amarnath yatra to be temporarily suspended from Aug 23 for restoration

The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas will remain temporarily suspended from August 23 in view of reduced pilgrim flow and track restoration works, an official spokesman said on Sunday. However, the Chari Mubarak, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, shall proceed via the traditional Pahalgam route marking the culmination of the yatra on August 31, the spokesman said. Over 4.4 lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the shrine since the commencement of the 62-day yatra from the twin tracks traditional 48-km Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and shorter 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district on July 1. Quoting Shrine Board authorities, the spokesman said, "Due to considerable reduction in the flow of pilgrims and the urgent repairs and maintenance of the yatra tracks at vulnerable stretches being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), movement of pilgrims on both the tracks leading to the holy cave is not advisable". Hence, the yatra .

First batch of pilgrims embarks on Budha Amarnath Yatra from Jammu

Stating that all security arrangements have been done for the Yatra, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu, Mukesh Singh, wished pilgrims on their journey

Amarnath Yatra: 843 pilgrims leave Jammu base camp for Kashmir Valley

A batch of 834 pilgrims on Wednesday left a base camp here for the Kashmir Valley under tight security to undertake the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, officials said. The 39th batch comprising 614 males, 146 females, 67 seers and seven children left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, in a convoy of 27 vehicles, for the twin base camps in Pahalgam and Baltal, between 3 am and 3.40 am, they said. The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The traditional 48-kilometre Nunwan-Pahalgam route has so far been chosen by 586 pilgrims and they left for Amarnath in 20 vehicles. The shorter but more challenging 14-kilometre Baltal route was preferred by the remaining 248 and they left Jammu in seven vehicles for the Amarnath. So far, more than 4.25 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on Au

Chardham Yatra suspended for two days due to heavy rains, landslides

The Chardham Yatra was on Monday suspended for two days as torrential rains triggered landslides that breached the national highways to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri shrines, officials said. As heavy rains pounded the Himalayan state causing house collapses and landslides, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with senior officials to review the situation. The pilgrimage to Chardham -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath - was suspended for two days in view of the rains and landslides blocking major highways, officials said.

915 pilgrims leave Jammu base camp for Amarnath cave shrine

After a one-day break, a fresh batch of 915 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here for Kashmir on Saturday to undertake the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, officials said. The pilgrims left in a convoy of 33 vehicles between 3:30 am and 3:45 am amid tight security, they said. While 675 pilgrims, including 97 women, 25 sadhus and three sadhvis, are headed to the Pahalgam base camp in Anantnag district, 240 devotees are on their way to the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district, they said. So far, over 4.31 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath since the commencement of the annual 62-day yatra from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route and the shorter 14-km Baltal route -- on July 1, according to the officials. No yatri convoy left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp on Friday after the authorities decided to run the yatra alternatively from Jammu and Kashmir in view of a sharp decline in the number of pilgrim ..

Another batch of pilgrims leaves from J-K's Srinagar for Amarnath Yatra

The 62-day-long Amarnath Yatra, which began on July 1 will culminate on August 31, 2023

Batch of Amarnath pilgrims leave Jammu, highway blocked after landslide

After a daylong suspension, the Amarnath Yatra resumed from Jammu on Sunday, with a fresh batch of 1,626 pilgrims leaving the base camp here in the early hours to join the annual pilgrimage in the south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. However, they were stopped at the Chankerkote Yatri Niwas in Ramban district after a landslide blocked the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway -- the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country -- near Keela Morh, the officials said. They said the 34th batch of 1,626 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in a convoy of 64 vehicles between 3.30 am and 3.45 am. While 1,092 of them are heading for the Pahalgam base camp in Anantnag district, the remaining 534 devotees are on their way to the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district, they said. The convoy of the pilgrims was stopped at the Chanderkote Yatri Niwas after a landslide blocked the highway near Keela Morh around 6.15 am, prompting the traffic department to advise

Fresh batch of pilgrims leaves for Amarnath Yatra, praises army's effort

The enthusiastic pilgrims, who will take Baltal and Pahalgam routes to reach the holy shrine, raised 'Bam Bam Bhole' slogans

32nd batch of over 1,100 Amarnath pilgrims leave Jammu for cave shrine

The 32nd batch of Amarnath Yatris with over 1,100 pilgrims Thursday left the base camp here for the holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas amid tight security arrangements, officials said. Over 4.3 lakh devotees paid obeisance at the 3888-metre high shrine since the commencement of the Yatra on July 1, the officials said. The 62-day annual pilgrimage to Amarnath shrine commenced from the twin tracks -- the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal -- on July 1. In the early hours of Thursday, 1,198 pilgrims -- 1,023 men, 116 women, 58 seers and a child -- left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here for the twin base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam in a convoy of 43 vehicles, the officials said. As many as 932 pilgrims, headed for Pahalgam, left in a convoy of 33 vehicles, while another convoy of 10 vehicles carrying 266 pilgrims left for the Baltal base camp, they added. The Yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.

Another batch of over 3,000 pilgrims leaves for Amarnath yatra: Officials

A fresh batch of over 3,000 pilgrims left here for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas on Tuesday, officials said. While 1,160 pilgrims left in a convoy of 38 vehicles for the Baltal base camp, another convoy of 81 vehicles carrying 1,865 pilgrims left for Pahalgam. Over 3.30 lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the shrine since the commencement of the pilgrimage from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal districts on July 1.

LG Sinha visits Baltal base camp, reviews arrangements for Amarnath Yatra

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday visited the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. At the base camp, the Lt Governor interacted with the pilgrims, service providers and officials and reviewed the arrangements for the ongoing yatra. "Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is making significant contribution to tourism, employment generation and revenue. Human spirit soaring to great heights, cultural diversity, communal harmony is being strengthened," Sinha said. The sacred journey is bringing happiness in people's lives and giving new wings to local aspirations, he added. The Lt Governor, during a review meeting with the senior officers of the administration, stakeholder departments, SASB, police and security forces, directed for maintaining enthusiasm for excellent service, seamless coordination, effective communication, prompt response to concerns and encourage feedback from pilgrims during the remaining period of yatra. Make sure every ...

J-K: 2 more Amarnath pilgrims die; total deaths during yatra climbs to 36

Two more Amarnath pilgrims have died, taking the death toll during this year's pilgrimage in the south Kashmir Himalayas to 36, officials said on Saturday. The two pilgrims belonged to Rajasthan. They have been identified as Phateh Lal Manaria (died at the holy cave) and Mangi Lal (died at the Baltal base camp). They were aged 60, the officials said. While Manaria died of cardiac arrest, the cause of Lal's death was being ascertained, they added. These two deaths have taken the toll during the yatra so far this year to 36. Cardiac arrest triggered by low oxygen concentration at high altitudes is one of the most common causes of fatalities among Amarnath pilgrims and security forces posted there. So far, more than three lakh pilgrims have visited the cave shrine to glimpse the natural ice lingam formation. The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in ..