Amarnath Yatra, the annual Hindu pilgrimage to a Jammu and Kashmir shrine, will not be held this year due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the board that manages the shrine announced on Tuesday.

The Amarnath Shrine Board said, "Based upon the circumstances, the Board decided with heavy heart that it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year's Shri Amarnathji Yatra and expressed its regret to announce the cancellation of Yatra 2020. Devotees can pay respects to the deity through live telecast."

The Supreme Court, in an order this month, had asked the government to take a decision on organizing the pilgrimage considering the ground realities.

"The Board discussed that pandemic has put the health administration system to its limit. The spike has been particularly very sharp in July. Health Workers and Security Forces are also getting infected and the focus of the entire Medical, Civil, and Police Administration at the moment is on containing the local transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health concerns are so serious that the strain on the health system, along with the diversion in resources to the Yatra, will be immense," the Board explained the decision to cancel the pilgrimage, which is attended by thousands of people every year.