87 foreign nationals join escorted 291- vehicle fleet bound for Baltal and Pahalgam
DH NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, Jul 5
The fourth batch of 6,721 pilgrims, including 87 foreign nationals, left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early Sunday for the twin base camps of the annual Amarnath Yatra amid elaborate security arrangements. According to the details available with the news agency Kashmir News Observer, 2,590 pilgrims opted for the shorter Baltal route, while 4,131 chose the traditional Pahalgam route.
The batch comprised 4,576 male pilgrims, 1,310 women, 22 children, 572 sadhus, 154 sadhvis, 38 foreign male devotees and 49 foreign female devotees.
Officials said the Baltal-bound convoy, comprising 152 vehicles with including 50 buses, 12 medium motor vehicles (MMVs) and 90 light motor vehicles (LMVs), departed Bhagwati Nagar at 3:15 am. “The Pahalgam-bound convoy, consisting of 139 vehicles, including 84 buses, 25 MMVs and 30 LMVs, left at 3:45 am.”
The pilgrims are expected to reach the Baltal and Nunwan base camps before proceeding to the holy cave shrine for darshan.
The annual pilgrimage is being conducted under a multi-layered security grid, with coordinated arrangements by the civil administration, police, security forces and the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board to ensure the Yatra is conducted safely, securely and smoothly.-(KNO)
