Amarnath Yatra remains suspended from Jammu for 3rd consecutive day

JAMMU :The Amarnath Yatra remained suspended from Jammu for the third consecutive day on Monday due to extensive damage caused to a section of the Jammu-Srinagar Highway in Ramban, officials said.

More than 6,000 pilgrims are stranded in Jammu, particularly at the Bhagwatinagar base camp while over 5,000 are stranded at the Chanderkot base camp in Ramban district.

"The yatra remains suspended from Jammu due to bad condition of the highway. No fresh batch has been allowed to move towards Kashmir from Jammu base camp today," a senior officer told PTI.

"More pilgrims are arriving in Jammu on their onward journey to Amarnath. But most of them are being accommodated in various lodging centres," he added.

Some of the pilgrims have been accommodated at the camps in Lakhanpur and Chichi Mata in Kathua and Samba districts to avoid the rush in Jammu, they said.

More than 90,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Amarnath, while over 40,000 devotees left Jammu for Kashmir in seven batches before the suspension of the yatra on Saturday.

Authorities said incessant rains on Saturday and Sunday caused unprecedented damage to the highway, especially a stretch in Ramban district, forcing its closure.

In view of the ongoing restoration works, especially at Panthyal and Seri, no vehicular movement shall be allowed on the highway on Monday, a traffic police official said.

Efforts are being made to restore the movement of traffic at the earliest. An update will be shared in the evening, he said.

The yatris will only be asked to resume their pilgrimage once vehicular traffic between Jammu and Kashmir divisions is restored, they added.

"The traffic shall remain suspended on Monday. People are advised to avoid travelling on the highway till the time confirmation is issued by the administration," a traffic official said.

Heavy motor vehicles are advised to take the Mughal Road for the journey from Jammu to Srinagar and vice-versa, he said.

Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar along with the deputy commissioners are monitoring the situation, officials said, adding all possible steps are being taken to ensure that those stranded do not face any hassles.

On Sunday, the Amarnath yatra resumed from Panjtarni and Sheshnag base camps after remaining suspended for three days due to inclement weather in Kashmir, officials said.