Rise In Accommodation Facility For Amarnath Yatra, 8-9 Lakh Pilgrims Expected

As the annual Amarnath Yatra is ready to start, the government of Jammu and Kashmir is getting ready to host the faithful tourists and is working on increasing the accommodation facilities as a huge turnout of pilgrims is expected.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidori said around 75,000 pilgrims can be accommodated at various locations this year with better facilities compared to previous years.

“The camps have been increased and about 7,000 additional yatris can stay in them,” the division commissioner said.

“We are moving forward with better facilities. The feedback we got last year was very good and 95 to 97 percent were happy.”

However, the security of the pilgrims of the Amarnath Yatra remains a major concern every year for the government as they become prime targets for terrorists.

Recently, Federal Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security arrangements while directing officials to ensure the smooth functioning of Elytra. In 2017, eight Hindu pilgrims were killed in a terrorist attack.

Vijay Kumar Biduri also said that the security will be reviewed further and the plan is ready for the convoy to move and to put on the ROP (Road Opening Ceremony).

He said that the number of pilgrims is expected to reach 8 to 9 thousand in the 62-day yatra this year. “We are making arrangements as per these numbers, but we are also ready for a much larger number,” said Vijay.

To reduce the environmental impact in the Himalayas from where the Yatra River passes, waste management will be ensured.

“The sanitation arrangement will be better. There will be no waste management, so the impact on the environment will be limited. In the main camps we have built a waste disposal system through which recyclable waste is recycled and wet waste is treated.”

There will also be more CCTV cameras to cover the entire track. Through these CCTV cameras, the government monitors the movements of the pilgrims for safety.

There have been some reported issues with RFID cards that the government now says have been corrected. These RFID tags were introduced a few years ago and will continue to ensure that pilgrims can be tracked and their arrivals secured.

News18 reported earlier that the government has approved the use of 400 satellite phones while work is underway on the 100-bed DRDO hospital in Paltal.

For the first time, the yatra path to the cave shrine has been handed over to BRO. The organization set a deadline of 15 June for the completion of the restoration work, well before the start of the yatra on 1 July.