A fresh batch of 3,886 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here early Sunday for the Amarnath yatra after the partial restoration of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which had remained closed for two days following incessant rains.After a one-day break, the 25th batch departed Jammu base camp at 2:52 am for Baltal in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal in a convoy of 177 vehicles under tight security arrangements, the officials said.
Over 4.50 lakh pilgrims have visited the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in Kashmir Himalayas since the commencement of the yatra on July 3. The 57-day yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 28.
The yatra had remained suspended for a day from Jammu on Saturday after the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway suffered extensive damage due to incessant rains at several locations between Jhakani in Udhampur and Banihal in Ramban, necessitating major restoration work.
The officials said the 250-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, has now been restored for single-carriage traffic in the most affected area, particularly near Dewal Bridge in the Samroli area of Udhampur, allowing the yatra convoy to resume.
Although restoration work is still in progress, light motor vehicles were allowed from Jammu on Sunday morning after a two-day suspension, officials said, adding traffic from Qazigund towards Jammu will be resumed after the Amarnath Yatra convoy passes the area in the next few hours.
Heavy motor vehicles will be allowed to ply on the highway on alternate days, a traffic police spokesperson said.
In view of the adverse weather forecast for the next few days, the traffic police has advised commuters to undertake travel on the Highway only after verifying the latest road and traffic status.
In another development, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma visited Samroli near Dewal Bridge on Saturday to inspect the ongoing debris clearance and restoration work on the Highway.
During the visit, the DIG reviewed the restoration efforts being undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) with the help of heavy earth-moving machinery, a police spokesman said.
The DIG emphasised the need for expeditious clearance of the debris to facilitate the early restoration of traffic while ensuring the safety of personnel engaged in the operation.
He also interacted with local residents and heard their grievances regarding the inconvenience caused by the closure of the highway and assured them that the police, in close coordination with the NHAI and the district administration, is making every possible effort to restore traffic at the earliest and ensure the smooth movement of commuters.