On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said continuous efforts are being made to make the annual yatra to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the Himalayas “comfortable, modern and safe” for the devotees.
He said his administration is committed to providing world-class facilities for the pilgrims besides facilitating 'langars and bhandaras' (community kitchen service providers) during the yatra to the holy cave. The Lt Governor was interacting with the members of various associations of ‘langars and bhandaras’, which serves the pilgrims during the yatra, an official spokesman said here.
The yatra takes place from the twin routes of Pahalgam in south Kashmir and Baltal in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir in summer. The official said as many as 20 members representing Shri Amarnath Barfani Langars Organization (SABLO) and Shri Amarnath Yatra Bhandara Organization (SAYBO) met the Lt Governor in Delhi and discussed various aspects of the smooth conduct of the yatra.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor, Nitishwar Kumar, Additional CEO of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board Rahul Singh and Deputy CEO Vikas Anand, he said. “The holy yatra is a symbol of compassion, spirituality, service, and peace. Continuous efforts are being made to make the yatra more comfortable, modern, and safe for the pilgrims”, the Lt Governor said.
Sinha informed the representatives of the associations about the substantial upgradation of facilities and infrastructure development for the yatris achieved in the past two years, the spokesman said. The Lt Governor observed that three Yatri Niwas are being created to provide better boarding and lodging facilities to pilgrims on their way to the cave shrine, he said.
These include Chandarkote Yatri Niwas coming up at Ramban district, which would provide accommodation to around 3,200 yatris, besides Jammu Yatri Niwas and Srinagar Yatri Niwas with a capacity of accommodation of 3000 and 2250 yatris, respectively, the spokesman added.
The representatives of the Langar associations appreciated the efforts of the UT administration and confirmed their active participation in the yatra arrangements, he said. They also offered their help through donations in terms of monetary as well as material resources required for the infrastructure, the spokesman added.
-With PTI Inputs
