SRINAGAR: In a significant development, the annual Amarnath Yatra has come to a temporary halt due to adverse weather conditions. Both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes have been affected as heavy rainfall engulfed the Kashmir Valley, causing concerns among officials.

Authorities have taken the decision to suspend the Yatra, preventing any further movement of pilgrims towards the sacred cave. This morning, amidst pouring rain, pilgrims were advised to stay put at the Nunwan Pahalgam base camp and the Baltal base camp, where more than 3,200 and 4,000 pilgrims are currently stranded, respectively.

While the officials assure that the Yatra will resume once the weather conditions improve, they report that a substantial number of devotees, approximately 80,000, have already completed their pilgrimage thus far.

In a separate development, it has come to light that over 300 pilgrims were in possession of fake permits, having been deceived by unscrupulous travel agencies. However, the authorities have rectified the situation by issuing legitimate permits to these individuals after thorough verification and registration at on-the-spot counters in Jammu. Notably, three individuals involved in this fraudulent activity have been apprehended so far.

Meanwhile, the 8th batch of pilgrims, totaling 7,010 individuals, commenced their journey from the Baghwati Nagar base camp in Jammu towards the valley. The convoy, consisting of 247 vehicles, embarked on the pilgrimage today. (KNO).

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