Amarnath Yatra temporarily on hold due to bad weather
The pilgrimage had begun from two base camps – Nunwan in the Anantnag district and Baltal in the Ganderbal district – on June 30.
The Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir was temporarily suspended on Tuesday due to bad weather, NDTV reported.
The pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave had begun from two base camps – Nunwan in the Anantnag district and Baltal in the Ganderbal district – on June 30. Over 65,000 pilgrims visited the shrine till Tuesday, according to The Tribune.
However, no pilgrims are now being allowed to travel towards the holy cave from either of the two routes, the newspaper quoted unidentified officials as saying.
Earlier on Tuesday, the sixth batch of 6,351 pilgrims had left for the shrine from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in a convoy of 239 vehicles.
On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had visited the Baltal base camp to interact with pilgrims. He inquired about the facilities being given to the pilgrims and inspected a control room to oversee arrangements for the journey.
Interacted with Shri Amarnathji pilgrims, officers, ponywalas at Baltal base camp earlier today. Enquired about the facilities, quality of services, well-being of Yatris, volunteers and carried out on-site inspection of Control Rooms. pic.twitter.com/5JEWIrY5DK
— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) July 4, 2022
In the Ganderbal district, a cloudburst caused by heavy rains led to flash floods on Tuesday, ANI reported. The floods led to the closure of the Srinagar-Leh highway.
Several houses were inundated and some others were partially damaged in the floods.
The India Meteorological Department had predicted heavy rainfall in isolated parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Tuesday.
The Amarnath Yatra had earlier been suspended twice since 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The annual pilgrimage was then held in a symbolic manner with the morning and evening aarti ritual being live-streamed.
In 2019 as well, the Amarnath Yatra was cancelled midway ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir by the Central government. Following the abrogation, the erstwhile state was split into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.