A fresh batch of over 7,000 pilgrims left the base camp here early Friday for the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said.
The pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here for the valley in a convoy of 247 vehicles amid tight security. The officials said 4,600 pilgrims headed for Pahalgam left in a convoy of 153 vehicles, while another convoy of 94 vehicles carrying 2,410 pilgrims was the first to leave for the Baltal base camp at 3.45 am.
With this, a total of 43,833 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for the valley since June 30, the day the yatra started. The pilgrim footfall at the shrine has crossed the 84,000-mark, they said.
The 62-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1.
The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31. The entire yatra is being monitored from Integrated command and control centre (ICCC). All departments monitor and send communication to their staff in field from here to cater to the requirements of pilgrims.
