Amarnath Yatra to be conducted in ‘restricted’ manner, 500 pilgrims allowed every day

The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday said, the upcoming Amarnath Yatra will be conducted in a "restricted manner" and only 500 pilgrims would be allowed per day by road from Jammu to the shrine.

A daily reported, the J&K administration stressed on the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for testing of persons entering the Union Territory would be applicable for the Amarnath pilgrims.

According to the daily, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) is planning to undertake the yatra in the last week of July for a short duration of 15 days.

The State Executive Committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act has issued SoPs which, interalia, prescribe 100 per cent RTPCR test for all persons travelling into Jammu and Kashmir including yatris.

Financial Commissioner, Health, Atal Dulloo said, "Adequate stock of drugs, consumable items, sleeping bags, besides PPE kits and masks are being made available to the doctors and paramedical staff being deployed for yatra duty," adding, "Two base hospitals are also being established along Baltal route".

However, he was concerned about the stress in the medical system because of the yatra. "Nine out of 10 Kashmir districts are Red and the entire medical system is fully stretched in handling the challenge. No doctors will be available from outside J&K for the Yatra this year," he said.

During a meeting to assess the planning, the chief secretary BVR Subrahmanyam was briefed by the departments concerned with regard to the status of works, including up-gradation along the track from Baltal to the Cave shrine at Kali Mata and emergency exit track from Sangam, installation of railings along critical stretches of the track, construction of additional helipads at Lower Holy Cave and construction of sanitisation tunnels at Neelgrath Helipad, Baltal, and Domel.