Registration for the Mahant Yatra to be held a few months after the Pahalgam terror attack, has seen a dip this year, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Thursday.
This year’s number has been directly affected by the April 22 attack, earlier, LG said, more than 2.36 lakh yatras registered for the journey. So far, 85,000 have confirmed their registration. This, he said, will mark a decline of 10.19 percent in registration from last year.
“This year, before 22 April, the registration number was significant. After the unfortunate incident of April 22, the registration has seen a decline, but it is re -picking up. We are reaching the registered people before 22 April, and the number will increase,” Sinha said.
The annual Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin from July 3 and will continue till 9 August. Last year, the yatra recorded the most legs in 12 years, with more than five million devotees visit the holy cave.
With high security concerns this year, Sinha said that the presence of J&K police officers and the number of companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFS) has increased.
“J&K Police, Army and CAPFS have set up a foolish security system, and there will be three-level security on both routes for the Amarnath cave. The mock drills are also complete,” he said. Sinha said that the safety of tourist destinations has been increased. “I say with responsibility that security measures have been taken in mind,” he said.
In his appeal to the devotees traveling to Kashmir for the yatra, Sinha stressed that all devotees should “travel with the convoy with those traveling in their private cars,” to all the people “.
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This year’s journey will not include helicopter services as the region has been declared a no-fly zone. However, LG said that only 8 percent of Yatris used service, and this number is unlikely to affect the number significantly. Amarnath Yatra has two main routes for pilgrims: traditional Pahalgam route and Chhota Baltal route.
He said that the route of the cave which was already about five feet wide, has now been widened up to 12 feet, “and all weak places with the trek have been addressed”.
The annual journey invites devotees from all parts of the country and lasts for more than 40 days. Traffic snarl along with highways has also worked about an increase in safety measures. However, LG said that adequate travel advice for tourists and locals would be released close to the beginning of the journey.
Additionally, Sinha, starting on 27 June with Muharram, said the procession in Srinagar will “use the same routes as last year”.
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