SRINAGAR, July 8:
The number of pilgrims who paid obeisance to Lord Shiva at Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir crossed the two lakh mark on Monday.
“As many as 24,879 pilgrims performed the yatra on Monday and had darshan of Baba Bholenath on the seventh day of the annual yatra,” the officials said.
They said the number of pilgrims who have been to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine has now reached 2,07,016.
The officials said 16,826 male pilgrims, 5,345 female pilgrims, 398 Sadhus and one Sadhvi were among those who paid obeisance at the cave shrine.
Over 2,000 security forces and 289 children also performed the pilgrimage.
As per the officials, there have been two deaths — a sevadar from Haryana and a pilgrim from Jharkhand — in this year’s yatra. Both the deceased suffered cardiac arrest along the Baltal route in June.
Over 24,000 Pilgrims
The 52-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 19. More than 4.5 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine last year.
In view of the heavy rush of pilgrims for the Shri Amarnathji Yatra, the government has announced a significant increase in telecom infrastructure along the Yatra route to ensure seamless mobile connectivity for all participating in the Yatra 2024.
On the initiative of Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in collaboration with major Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) including Airtel, BSNL, and Reliance JIO, the infrastructure has been upgraded to provide continuous coverage along the Yatra routes, an official communication said on Monday.
To ensure coverage, a total of 82 sites (Airtel, RJIL, and BSNL) will be active. The key locations on the entire route will be covered.
A total of 31 new sites have been installed along the Yatra routes, increasing the total number from 51 in 2023 to 82 in 2024. This enhancement aims to provide seamless mobile connectivity to pilgrims and the public, the DoT said.
The routes from Lakhanpur to Qazigund and from Qazigund to Pahalgam and Baltal are fully covered with 2G, 3G, and 4G, including 5G technology, at many places for pilgrims and the public.
Some key points of SIM distribution centres have been opened apart from other locations to extend telecom facilitation to Yatris.
