J-K: Amarnath Yatra halted due to bad weather, NH44 also blocked

The annual Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir has been halted for the second consecutive day on Saturday due to bad weather conditions. The twin routes, Baltal and Pahalgam have got affected due to heavy rains, according to the officials.

The fresh batches of pilgrims were not permitted to depart from Jammu as the Srinanagar-Jammu national highway 44 (NH-44) got closed following a weather advisory and heavy rains in the Kashmir valley.

Beside the warning from state police, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also issued a warning notification. What reads:

Routes that are blocked due to landslides

The police officials have advised people not to use NH-44, Mughal Road, and SSG roads as they are blocked due to landslides.

“NH-44, Mughal Road, and SSG Road are blocked due to 2 landslides. People are advised not to travel till clearance,” Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police said in a tweet.

The Mughal Road connects Bufliaz town in the Jammu region’s Poonch district to the Shopian district of Kashmir, and the 250-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway connects Kashmir with the rest of the nation. The 84-kilometer road follows a formerly popular route that crossed the Pir Panjal Pass during the Mughal era. While the double-lane Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) route connects Jammu and Kashmir with the Ladakh region.

The NH-44 in Ramban town was also shut last month as a result of many landslides and stone-firing hillside incidents in Cafeteria Morh and Mehar.

Facilities for devotees at the Amarnath route

According to the official statement, all the necessary arrangements for the devotees are being done on the entire route of the journey by state agencies and civil departments.

The statement further informed that under the supervision of Camp directors, the entire facilities are extended to devotees including Langers, health facilities, assistance by service providers including sanitation, and many other assistances.

The 62-day-long Shri Amarnath Yatra which started on July 1 will culminate on August 31, 2023. Notably, 67,566 pilgrims visited the Amarnath cave shrine since July 1.