Srinagar: The last year’s heavy snowfall and continuous bad weather conditions in the entire yatra area have forced authorities to defer the opening of Phalgam route for ensuing pilgrimage to holy Amarnath cave. The decision in this regard has been taken in a high level meeting chaired by Governor N.N Vohra.
The official statement issued to GNS said that “In 2013-14 winter the Himalayan mountain ranges in the entire Yatra area witnessed very heavy snowfalls. The very large accumulation of snow in the Yatra area, and the slow rate of snow-melt, has caused serious concern to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board whose officers have been undertaking regular assessments of the ground situation”.
“In the past weeks the Governor, Shri N.N. Vohra, who is the Chairman of the Shrine Board undertook an aerial reconnaissance of the entire Yatra area, which was followed by on-ground surveys by Shri R.K. Gupta, CEO of the Shrine Board, and by Shri Shailendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir”, the statement said.
The statement said that today, the Governor and CEO undertook a day long tour to visit the Holy Cave Shrine, Panjtarni Yatra Camp, Sheshnag Yatra Camp via 14500 feet high Mahagunus Pass and the Pahalgam Yatra Camp. It was observed that the snow track along Panjtarni-Mahagunus Top-Sheshnag is still under very significant snow cover. After the Governor’s inspection of the area of the Sheshnag Yatra Camp, along with CEO and senior officers of Army, BSF, CRPF and others, it was observed that, on an average, the entire Camp site was still covered by one and a half to two feet of snow.
“On return to Srinagar later in the day, the Governor held a meeting with Shri K. Rajendra, DGP; Shri Shailendra Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Shri Abdul Gani Mir, IGP, Kashmir; Shri R. K. Gupta, CEO and Shri Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO. It is relevant to note that the DGP and the IG,Kashmir, had also visited the Yatra area today and particularly viewed the ground situation in Sheshnag Camp”, the statement said.
The statement said after detailed discussions the meeting chaired by the Governor decided that, keeping in view the considerable snow accumulation in the entire area of the Sheshnag Yatra Camp, and also keeping in view the present status of the track from Sheshnag Camp -Mahagunus Pass – Panjtarni Camp, the Yatra via the Pahalgam – Sheshnag route would not commence on the 28th June. “The Governor directed that the pace of the ongoing clearing of snows and repair and renovation work should be further enhanced and he would review the progress every day”.
The meeting further decided that the pilgrims, who are registered to undertake the Yatra from the Pahalgam route on 28th – 29th – 30th June, 2014 should contact the concerned authorities if they want to travel to the Shrine by the Baltal route, which would open on 28th June, as scheduled, the statement said, adding that “It was decided that another round of meeting will be held on 30th June afternoon to review whether the Pahalgam route could be opened w.e.f. 1st Julymorning”