Jammu, India: The second batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims left from Jammu under heavy security cover on Saturday.
Around 4029 pilgrims left from Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp in Jammu in 200 vehicles, about 1850 left for Baltal in 104 vehicles and around 2179 for Pahalgam in 96 vehicles. These pilgrims will pay obeisance at Holy cave on Sunday.
On Friday, the first batch of the Yatra with 4,603 pilgrims reached the Kashmir valley amid stringent security arrangements.
Local Muslims joined senior officials of police and civil administration at several places to welcome the yatris, who were flagged off from the Bhagwati Nagar Jammu base camp early morning, upon their arrival in the valley.
The yatra convoys received rousing welcome from the administration and the people on their way to Kashmir and the pilgrims were welcomed with garlands in Kulgam, Anantnag, Srinagar, and Bandipora districts, officials said.
The 52-day pilgrimage will begin from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal — on Saturday and conclude on August 19.
Earlier on Friday morning, amid chants of “Bum Bum Bhole” and “Har Har Mahadev”, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch from the Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu.
Comprehensive arrangements, including three-tier security, area dominations, elaborate route deployment and checkpoints, have been made to ensure a smooth yatra, a senior official told PTI.
“Traffic restrictions will be imposed on various routes from June 28 to August 19, with daily advisories issued to minimise inconvenience,” the official said.
According to reports, more than 3.50 lakh people have registered for this year’s yatra. As many as 125 community kitchens (langars) have been set up along the two routes to the cave shrine and are supported by over 6,000 volunteers.
