Amarnath yatra temporarily suspended (02-7-11)

JAMMU: The 5th Batch of Shri Amarnathji yatra schedule to depart on Saturday morning from Bhagwati Nagar Jammu has been temporarily suspended following rush of pilgrims at Pahalgam and Baltal base camps.
The Amarnath yatra was on Friday suspended from the Baltal route following inclement weather in the track. On Friday morning, the fourth batch of 2,303 pilgrims including 1438 males, 467 females and 94 children left the Jammu base camp for the yatra.
“The yatra from Baltal route has been stopped temporarily due to inclement weather. A decision on allowing the pilgrims to proceed further will be taken only after the track is declared safe,” an official at the yatra control room informed.
The yatra, which began on 29th June, was suspended this morning due to overnight rainfall resulting in slippery track at many places along the 13-km route to the holy cave shrine, he said.
More than 35,000 pilgrims performed darshan of the naturally formed ‘ice-lingam’ inside the 3,880-metre high cave shrine till last evening.
Over 2.50 lakh pilgrims have registered for the annual yatra this year but the number is expected to cross four lakh by the end of the pilgrimage on August 13 as many pilgrims have not registered themselves.
Agency:state times