JAMMU: The Amarnath Yatra beyond Jammu remained suspended for the third consecutive day on Monday as a portion of the Jammu-Srinagar highway was badly damaged at Ramban. The officers provided this information. Over 6,000 pilgrims are stranded in Jammu, especially at the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, while over 5,000 are stranded at the Chandrakot base camp in Ramban district. A senior official told a media agency, “The travel beyond Jammu is suspended due to the bad condition on the highway. No fresh batch has been allowed to leave the Jammu base camp for Kashmir today. “More pilgrims are reaching Jammu to visit Amarnath, but most of them have been kept at various stay centers.
Some pilgrims have been put up in camps at Lakhanpur and Chichi Mata in Samba and Kathua districts, the official said. Over 90,000 pilgrims paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine, while over 40,000 pilgrims left for Jammu and Kashmir in seven batches before the yatra was suspended on Saturday. The highway has been badly damaged, especially in Ramban district, due to incessant rains on Saturday and Sunday, officials said. The vehicular movement will not be allowed on the highway on Monday, especially in view of ongoing repair works at Panthyal and Seri, a traffic police official said.
He informed us that efforts are being made to restore the traffic at the earliest. Updated information in this regard will be shared in the evening. He said that the pilgrims would be allowed to travel only after the movement of vehicles between the Jammu and Kashmir divisions is restored. A traffic official said, “Traffic will be disrupted on Monday. People are advised not to travel on the highway until there is confirmation from the administration. He said that heavy motor vehicles are advised to use Mughal Road for traveling from Jammu to Srinagar.
Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar is monitoring the situation along with the Deputy Commissioners. Officials said that all possible steps are being taken to ensure that the stranded people do not face any kind of trouble. Amarnath Yatra resumed from Panjtarni and Sheshnag base camps on Sunday after being suspended for three days due to bad weather in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
