Srinagar/Ganderbal, June 11:In a significant development ahead of the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), on Wednesday undertook the pilgrimage to the Holy Cave via the Baltal route—becoming the first SASB Chairman in recent times to complete the spiritual journey through this track.
The Lieutenant Governor conducted an extensive inspection of the yatra route, taking stock of the ongoing maintenance, widening, and upgradation work. He reviewed, first-hand, the safety and logistical measures being undertaken by the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to ensure a safe, smooth, and spiritually enriching experience for the devotees.
“After the culmination of the Yatra in 2024, special focus has been laid on developing safe Yatra tracks on both the routes,” said the Lieutenant Governor.
He further revealed that an alternate route from Chandanwari to Pissutop is being developed and will be made available for Yatra 2025. The alternate path will be equipped with safety hand railings and enhanced surfacing to assist on-foot pilgrims and better manage pilgrim traffic along the Chandanwari axis.
“The alternate route from Chandanwari to Pissutop will be made available with safety hand railing and surfacing for Yatra 2025 for facilitating the on-foot yatris and better managing the Yatra along the Chandanwari axis,” the LG said.
The LG also noted that critical vulnerable stretches along the Pahalgam route have been fitted with safety hand railings to ensure greater protection for pilgrims. In addition, unstable formations along both the Baltal and Pahalgam tracks are being addressed through the construction of gabion walls, breast walls, and protective installations such as ILC fencing and wire mesh. These efforts aim to mitigate the threat posed by falling rocks and landslides in areas including Railpathri–Brarimarg, Kalimata–Lower Cave, Panjtarni–Sangam–Holy Cave, and the Chandanwari–Pissutop–Zozibal section.
To further improve safety underfoot, granular sub-base material has been applied to slippery stretches on both routes. ILCB tiles have also been laid on high-risk segments, including the Domail–Railpathri–Brari stretch on the Baltal track and the Chandanwari–Pissutop–Zozibal–MG Top stretch on the Pahalgam route.
Later in the day, the Lieutenant Governor visited the Disaster Management and Yatri Niwas Complex of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board at Baltal in Ganderbal district. He personally reviewed the ongoing infrastructure work at the site and directed concerned officials to ensure timely completion of all projects intended to enhance facilities for pilgrims.
At Domail, the LG also interacted with members of the BRO taskforce and ground staff responsible for the construction and upkeep of the Yatra track.
The Lieutenant Governor was accompanied by senior officials including SJM Gillani, Managing Director of the J&K Police Housing Corporation; Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the LG and CEO of SASB; Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; VK Birdi, IGP Kashmir; Jatin Kishore, Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal; and other senior civil and police officials.
With the 2025 Yatra set to begin on July 3, the UT administration has intensified its preparations to ensure a safe, smooth, and spiritually uplifting pilgrimage for thousands of devotees expected from across the country.
