A fresh batch of over 5,800 pilgrims left Jammu city early on July 6 for the twin base camps in Kashmir to join the Amarnath yatra, officials said.
Braving heavy rains, the ninth batch comprising 5,876 pilgrims, including 1,118 women and 18 children, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in two separate convoys of 245 vehicles between 2.50 am and 3.50 am, they said. While 3,759 pilgrims heading for Pahalgam left in a convoy of 134 vehicles for the Valley, another group of 2,117 devotees in 111 vehicles are heading for Baltal, they added.
Meanwhile, the yatra was temporarily suspended on both routes to the cave shrine on July 6 as a precautionary measure due to heavy rainfall, officials said. Intermittent heavy rainfall has been seen along the Baltal and Pahalgam routes since last night, they said.
The decision to temporarily suspend the yatra was taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the pilgrims, the officials added.
The number of devotees who have visited the 3,800-metre-high cave shrine and had darshan of the naturally formed ice lingam has crossed 1.50 lakh.
The Amarnath Yatra began on June 29 from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the 14-km shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal — and will culminate on August 19. More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the cave shrine last year.
