The annual yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district will start on June 28, it was announced Thursday.
The announcement was made at a meeting here of senior officials including the governor's Principal Secretary R.K. Gupta and Jammu Divisional Commissioner Shantanu to discussed various arrangements for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Yatra.
"The first batch of Yatris will be flagged off from the Yatri Niwas at Bhagwati Nagar here on June 27," Gupta told the meeting.
The need for greater synergy and coordination between the civil administration, police, security forces, shrine board authorities and other concerned departments to ensure that the required arrangements are put in place well in time was stressed upon during the meeting.
"Directions were given to ensure the quality and rates of eatables and other essential commodities during the Yatra period, especially along the national highway and to conduct regular inspection of market to check overcharging by the shopkeepers during the Yatra days," said a statement issued by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), that manages the affairs of the pilgrimage.
The statement also said all the aspects related to Yatra registration, accommodation, transport, free 'langars' (kitchens), face lifting/renovation of Yatri Niwas, security arrangements, uninterrupted supply of electricity, and adequate water supply at Yatri Niwas besides lodging and boarding centres for Yatris in Jammu were discussed.
The governor is the chairman of the SASB.
