New Delhi, July 8 (IANS): To ensure seamless mobile connectivity for pilgrims participating in the Amarnath Yatra, the government on Monday announced significant improvements in telecom infrastructure.

In collaboration with major telecom service providers (TSPs) including Airtel, BSNL and Reliance Jio, the infrastructure has been upgraded to provide continuous coverage along the Yatra routes, said the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

“To ensure coverage, a total of 82 sites (Airtel, RJIL and BSNL) shall be active. A total of 31 new sites have been installed along the Yatra routes, increasing the total number from 51 in 2023 to 82 in 2024. This enhancement aims to provide seamless mobile connectivity to the pilgrims and public,” the DoT informed.

The routes from Lakhanpur to Qazigund and from Qazigund to Pahalgam and Baltal are fully covered with 2G, 3G, 4G, including 5G technology at many places for pilgrims and the public, according to the Department.

Some key points of SIM distribution centres have also been opened, apart from other locations to extend telecom facilitation to the pilgrims.

These centres are located at Lakhanpur, Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar, Chanderkot, Anantnag, Srinagar, Srinagar Airport, Pahalgam, Sonamarg and Baltal.

Over 1.82 lakh pilgrims had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the last nine days as another batch of 5,803 yatris left for Kashmir on Monday.

Yatris take either the 48 km long traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter 14 km long Baltal route to perform the Yatra.

Those using the Pahalgam route take four days to reach the cave shrine while those taking the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after ‘darshan’.