JAMMU, July 03: A heavy rush of Amarnath pilgrims is being witnessed this year since the holy pilgrimage started on 29th of June.
The base camp at Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, has been packed beyond its capacity, officials said. They said that Amarnath yatris coming to Jammu from different parts of the country are being shifted by the administration to the reserved lodging centers.
“The Bhagwati Nagar Base camp has a capacity of over 1600 and has been packed beyond capacity,” the spokesman at the help desk said, while adding, “ Amarnath pilgrims are being sent to reserved lodgment due to huge rush”.
The Amarnath pilgrims are being shifted to Vaishnavi Dham, Sarswati Dham, Ranbireshwar Temple, Geeta Bhawan and some other lodgment centres identified by the government to tackle the situation.
Apart from this, the administration has also shifted the yatris to Asaram Bapu’s centre situated near the Base camp.
Meanwhile, 5725 pilgrims today left Jammu in 23 vehicles to undertake holy yatra from Baltal and the traditional Pahalgam route.
So far more than 22,000 pilgrims have performed Darshan of the Ice Lingam (Ice Shivling) at the holy shrine.
Sources said that the transit camps set up by the government in each district of J&K are also packed beyond capacity. The government had set up transit camps in each district to accommodate Amarnath yatris in case the rush of pilgrims increases and they are provided shelter.
