The Famous Amarnath Yatra is bound to start on June 25 and Authorities are having difficult time to curtail Pilgrims from moving ahead before the date.
“The Yatra begins on June 25 and the pilgrims must follow the schedule for their own safety,” an official said.
“The schedule cannot be changed for the pilgrims who have already reached the Yatra transit camps,” Navin Kumar Chowdhary, chief executive officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) which manages the affairs of the Yatra said.
Inclement weather on the Yatra route is posing a major challenge for the SASB which is clearing the tracks to the cave shrine.
Reports from south Kashmir’s Sheshnag, Pissu Top and Panchtarni halts said a thick blanket of snow still covered these places.
The base-camp has been operationalised for the arrival of the pilgrims who will leave in the first batch to Amarnath cave shrine on June 24, Tourism department officials said.
Apart from cleanising and white washing the 3-storeyed Yatri Niwas at Bagwatinagar camp, extablishment offices of tourism, health centre, police assistance booth, community kitchens and tents have come up in the area for pilgrims.
The security forces, particularly CRPF, has been deployed in and around the base camp after santisation operation conducted by the police.
For the convenience of the pilgrims, Jammu and Kashmir postal circle will oprn two yatri post offices at Baltal and Nunwan basecamps.
“Post offices will be open at the base camps for the benefit of the yatris,” Chief Post Master General, J&K, John Samuel said today. Governor N N Vohra will inaugurate the yatri post office at Baltal on June 25, when he will release a special postal cover commemorating the pilgrimage.
The post offices will provide PCO and STD services, he said, adding that, in association with BSNL, Simcards will be offered by them which is a first in the state. The yatri post offices will feature a range of other services including Speed Post, Registered Post, special covers and post cards on Amarnath Yatra, philately products, packaging materials and local souvenirs.
A major attraction will be the ‘My Stamp’ services using which pilgrims can get their own photographs printed on stamps, with the snow-clad mountains as backdrop.
Terming it as a “rare and innovative service” provided by J&K Postal circle, he said that the photographs taken by the Department of Posts will be delivered to the customers within 10 minutes as stamps.
On yatri registration, he said 102 post offices across India provided this service for the first time during this year.