Amarnath yatra suspended as landslides block highway

Deepanker Gupta

Tribune News Service

Udhampur, July 12

The Amarnath yatra was today suspended due to landslides at more than six places on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. 

As men of the Army and the Border Roads Organisation continued their efforts to clear the landslides today, thousands of pilgrims and tourists remained stranded on the highway.

“No pilgrim was allowed to proceed towards the Kashmir valley from the base camp in Jammu due to massive landslides at Kheri ahead of Udhampur, Amarchisma near Patnitop, Nashri, Seri, Panthal, Magarkote and Gangroo, blocking the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Thousands of vehicles, including those carrying pilgrims, which were returning from the Valley remained stuck at various locations on the highway. They were being accommodated at the nearest langar points so that they could get basic facilities,” said Sanjay Kotwal, Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic.

“Kheri witnessed heavy landslides this morning. The vehicles moving towards Doda are stranded at Assar. Machines from the Engineering Regiment of the Army were deployed to clear the debris from the national highway near Kheri, but the landslides at various places in Ramban district could not be cleared as a result of which traffic restoration was not made possible till this evening. We are hopeful that the debris will be cleared till late night and stranded vehicles will reach their destinations. If weather permits, the yatra might resume from Jammu on Monday morning. The commuters should confirm the yatra status from the traffic control room, Ramban, through mobile No. 9419993745 before embarking on the journey,” said Amin Bhat, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic.

Heavy rains have swollen most of the rivers and water bodies in the region. The yatra from the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps has been halted. 

“No pilgrim will be allowed to move towards the cave shrine from either of the base camps till the weather improves,” said a government official in Srinagar. 

Around 1.50 lakh pilgrims have so far offered prayers at the cave shrine.