Preparations for Amarnath Yatra will be completed by May 15.
State administration has already started preparations for the smooth conduct of the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave of Shri Amarnath, situated at an altitude of about 3,888 meters above sea level.
Facilities for pilgrims, oxygen booths, and COVID testing centers will also be set up on the Yatra route.
A target has been set to complete the work of removing snow from the Yatra route and restoring the necessary facilities by repairing the route.
The Yatra begins in June-July and continues till the day of Rakshabandhan in August.
The Yatra of Lord Amareshwar (also known as Shri Amarnath) could not take place in the years 2020 and 2021 due to the situation arising out of Covid.
During this time only Mubarak, the holy stick of Shri Amarnath, went to the holy cave under the leadership of Mahant Dipendra Giri to perform religious rituals according to the Sanatan traditions.
Preparations for Amarnath Yatra will be completed: In the year 2019, the pilgrimage was stopped midway.
In view of the improvement in the situation, the state government is hopeful that this time more devotees will come to the yatra than the ones who come during normal times.
Necessary facilities are being increased on the Yatra route and the holy cave.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Pandurang K Pole held a meeting on Thursday with senior officials of the departments concerned regarding the preparations for the yatra.
The additional CEO of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, besides senior officers of Tourism, Urban Bodies, Food Supply, Tourism, Health, Animal Husbandry, Disaster Management attended the meeting.
Weather, Public Works, Electricity, Fire and Emergency, Information and Transport Department, Army, Police, and Border Roads Organization officials also attended the meeting.
This time more devotees are expected to come. There should be no problem during the journey and the devotees get all the necessary facilities.
So all the departments concerned should keep at least a 50 percent increase in them while preparing their plans for the journey.
The capacity of all base camps, parking spaces, health facilities, toilets, and other facilities should be increased.
Emphasizing the registration of all horsemen, laborers who provide services to the devotees during the Yatra.
He said that to meet the demand, the concerned department can get the services of horsemen and other service providers from other districts of the state.
Covid Test Center and Oxygen Booth will also be set up:
The Divisional Commissioner said that this time Covid Test Center and Oxygen Booth will also be set up for the convenience of the devotees on the Yatra route and other places.
The adequate number of oxygen cylinders at the oxygen booth and health workers skilled in providing medical facilities in emergency situations will also have to be kept available to the health department.
Orders were given to repair the damaged structure at the earliest.
Referring to the damage caused by the cloudburst last year to the basic infrastructural facilities built near the holy cave.
The Divisional Commissioner said that the Public Works Department should repair the damaged structure at the earliest.
Apart from this, the road should be widened at important and accident sensitive places. Damaged bridges on the Yatra route should also be repaired soon.
He said that this year there will be more influx of devotees and the snowfall during winters has been comparatively less.
Therefore, besides clearing snow on the yatra route, repairing the route, and restoring necessary facilities.
The Yatra camps to be set up at various places for the stay of the devotees should be finalized by May 15. This work should be started in the first week of April.