Amarnath Yatra: 500 pilgrims daily to be allowed by road
Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 05 2020 (HS): The Jammu & Kashmir administration on Saturday said that a maximum of 500 pilgrims per day can be allowed to undertake the Amarnath Yatra this month. Reviewing arrangements for the pilgrimage, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said that the yatra this year would have to be undertaken in a restricted manner so that the SoPs for COVID-19 are strictly adhered to during the period.
He said, "A maximum of 500 yatris only could be allowed per day by road from Jammu”.
The Chief Secretary said in view of the COVID-19 pandemic that 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 J-K.“All entrants into J&K will have to be sampled, tested and quarantined till they are reported to be negative,” he said, adding the camping facilities earlier utilised for yatris, especially at entry points are currently being utilised as quarantine centres.
He emphasised that SoPs for testing of persons entering J-K would apply to yatris as well. While the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board is yet to make a formal announcement regarding the date of the pilgrimage, sources said the duration is likely to be for only 15 days in view of the pandemic.
The yatra is likely to start on July 21 only on Baltal route and culminate on Raksha Bandhan on August 3, sources said. Helicopter sorties to the cave shrine will only be allowed from Baltal, sources said. More than 5,000 pilgrims each were allowed to proceed daily to the cave last year from Baltal and Pahalgam routes.