Rain-battered tracks halt Amarnath yatra; Army rescues 500 pilgrims stranded in landslides

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir govt on Thursday morning suspended the pilgrimage to Amarnath shrine from the Jammu, Pahalgam, and Baltal base camps till the tracks, damaged due to incessant rain, are repaired.

“BRO has deployed men and machinery to repair the tracks for the resumption of the yatra on July 18,” a government statement said.

The suspension of the yatra comes a day after a 52-year-old woman pilgrim from Rajasthan succumbed to injuries from a shooting stone and three others were injured in landslides along Baltal route in Ganderbal district Wednesday evening.

“Army rescued about 500 pilgrims stranded in landslides triggered by heavy rain. The yatra is scheduled to resume tomorrow, subject to weather conditions,” said defence PRO in Jammu, Lt Col Suneel Bartwal.

About 2.5 lakh pilgrims have performed darshan at the cave shrine in the first 15 days of the 38-day yatra through the traditional Pahalgam route and the shorter Baltal route, added the statement.

Over 5.1 lakh pilgrims visited Amarnath shrine in the 52-day yatra in 2024, the highest number in 12 years.