Jammu, Aug 7 (IANS) Due to unavoidable repair work undertaken on the south Kashmir Pahalgam route, authorities have decided that the Amarnath Yatra shall now take place through the north Kashmir Baltal route only till it ends on August 19.

Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said that rains have damaged the Pahalgam-Cave shrine axis and repair work on the track has been undertaken which has necessitated that for the rest of this year’s Amarnath Yatra, Yatris will be using only the north Kashmir Baltal-Cave shrine axis to perform the pilgrimage.

Another batch of 651 Yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu city in an escorted convoy of 14 vehicles at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday for the north Kashmir Baltal base camp.

Since this year’s Yatra started on June 29, around 5 lakh devotees had ‘Darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine till Tuesday.

This is much more than last year’s total number of 4.45 lakh Yatris who performed the Yatra.

A large number of security forces including police and CAPFs have been doing round-the-clock duties all along the over 350 km long route from Jammu to the two base camps to secure the pilgrims’ passage.

In addition to this, security forces have been deployed in sufficient numbers at the transit camps, base camps and at the cave shrine for the safety of the Yatris.

Locals are not far behind in ensuring that the Yatris are assisted to perform the mountainous journey with ease.

Locals provide ponies and also work as porters for the pilgrims often carrying the weak and infirm devotees on their back to and fro the cave shrine.

Officials of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, have been managing the affairs of the Yatra with professional competence.

All this together, has ensured this year’s safe, smooth and hassle-free pilgrimage to the cave shrine through some of the most rugged and treacherous mountain terrain in the Himalayas.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe that this ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas. Devotees approach the cave shrine either from the traditional south Kashmir Pahalgam route or the north Kashmir Baltal route.

The Pahalgam-Cave shrine axis is 48 km long and it takes Yatris 4-5 days to reach the shrine. The Baltal-Cave shrine axis is 14 km long and it takes one day for the pilgrims to have ‘Darshan’ and reach back to the base camp.

Helicopter services are also available for the pilgrims both at Baltal on the north Kashmir route and at Chandanwari on the south Kashmir route.

This year’s Yatra will conclude after 52 days on August 19 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.