Jammu, Jan 17 (KNO): Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has opened online helicopter booking for the pilgrims while Jammu’s private cab operators has decided to tender free pick and drop service between Railway Station and Shri Amarnath Ji Base Camp to the visiting pilgrims and flocks of Sadhus from across the country have started reaching base camps in the winter capital Jammu.
As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the 62-day long pilgrimage will commence on July 1 from the twin tracks — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the 14-km shorter but steep Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.
According to official sources, the online booking for helicopters has started for the service to be available from Srinagar, Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
Sources however, said that the fare for this year’s yatra has also not been hiked. As of now, around 3 lakh have registered online for the yatra, sources said adding that around five lakh devotees are expected to visit this year to the cave Shrine.
Sources further added that the booking for helicopter tickets will be done through the official website of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
The Global Vectra Helicorp Limited and Arrow Aircraft Private Limited are the service operators for the Baltal route while Heritage Aviation Pvt Ltd will be the operator for the Pahalgam route.
The services of M S Pawan Hans Limited operators will operate from Srinagar to the holy cave, official sources added.
In a first of its kind gesture, Jammu Province Tourist Taxi Operator Federation (JPTTOF) along with Taxi Union Railway Station decided to offer free pic and drop service to pilgrims.
Cab union’s chairman Chairman Inderjeet Sharma said cabs remain stationed at Railway Station during the 62-day duration of yatra to ferry the pilgrims from the station and drop at Base Camp. He said that taxi operators eagerly wait for the Yatra every year as it is one of main sources of livelihood for the industry, the extended free service is to express gratitude to the coming pilgrims.
“The duration of 62-days provide opportunity to our people to take the pilgrims towards cave shrine through Baltal and Pahalgam routes, and make their both end meet” he said, adding, “To extend the happiness, for the first time Jammu cab operators decided to offer free pick and drop service for pilgrims between Jammu Tawi Railway Station and Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar, the base Base Camp of the yatra.
Sharma said that cab operators will provide fee of cost service pick and drop service to pilgrims.
He maintained that initially 10 cabs will be pressed into service and if required vehicles fleet would be extended.
Moreover, over 200 Sadhus, including women, have arrived at Purani Mandi’s Ram Mandir, the base camp. The Sadhus are upbeat to offer their prayers at the 3,880-metre high holy cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, housing the naturally formed ice-Shivling.
The first batch of pilgrims, including a group of Sadhus, is leaving for the Yatra from Jammu on June 30.
Moreover, the advance arrangements have been made for the Sadhu’s, which included aged and elderly persons. Coolers and air conditioners are available in good numbers to help the sadhus to beat the heat. The registration counter will be opened (by the authorities) on June 30 to facilitate the sadhus. Many of the sadhus have already conducted the Yatra many times and said they will pray for everlasting peace while paying obeisance at the shrine.
The administration also finalized the arrangements and established five 'Tatkal' (urgent) registration counters at prominent locations of Jammu city. “In all five counters have been established for Tatkal registration of the pilgrims at Vaishnavi Dham, Mahajan Sabha, Panchayat Ghar and two at Geeta Bhawan and Ram Mandir for the registration of Sadhus,” an official.
The online helicopter tickets booking also commence
Administration has also planned 'Jammu Darshan' for the pilgrims to boost tourism and attract more tourists to Jammu and Kashmir. So far, around 3 lakh pilgrims have reportedly registered themselves online for the yatra.
Preparations to welcome the pilgrims are in full swing and instructions have also been passed to complete all the arrangements by the respective district administrations from the gateway Lakhanpur to Kashmir between by June 20—(KNO)