The annual Amarnath Yatra was suspended on Friday until August 3 in the interest of pilgrim safety, as urgent repair and maintenance work is underway on both routes following heavy rainfall, officials said.
According to officials, while the Yatra remained suspended from the Pahalgam route with no fresh batch allowed to proceed toward the holy cave, movement of pilgrims was permitted via the Baltal route earlier in the day.
However, due to continued heavy rainfall, the Yatra was later suspended from the Baltal route as well, officials said.
Pilgrim movement also remained suspended from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the second consecutive day.
“Due to recent heavy rains, urgent repair and maintenance work is required on the Baltal axis of the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra route. In the interest of yatri safety, no Yatra will be allowed on August 3 from the Baltal route either,” said Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri.
He added that further updates will be issued in due course.
Bidhuri noted that heavy rains have affected both the Pahalgam and Baltal axes of the Yatra, making urgent repair work essential, especially along the Baltal route.
Torrential rains in Kashmir had rendered the roads unsafe, prompting the suspension of the pilgrimage on both routes on Wednesday.
Repair and maintenance work is already underway on the Pahalgam route, the Divisional Commissioner added.
Earlier, on July 17, the Yatra was also suspended due to heavy rainfall at the twin base camps in Kashmir.
So far this year, more than 4.05 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the Holy Cave shrine.
Since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch, a total of 1,44,124 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the Valley.
Last year, over 5.10 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine, which houses a naturally formed ice lingam. (Sources)
