Srinagar, Jul 26 (IANS): A small batch of 667 pilgrims on Thursday left Jammu for the Kashmir Valley to perform the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, officials said.

The yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in an escorted convoy of 19 vehicles, a police officer said.

This is the smallest batch of pilgrims to leave Jammu since the yatra started on June 28. To date, over 2,46,000 pilgrims have performed the yatra.

There have been demands from the organisation of service providers for the pilgrims that since over 90 per cent of pilgrims perform the yatra during the first 30 days as reflected by records during the last three years, the yatra should be restricted to 30 days.

Officially, the yatra will end on August 26 coinciding with Shravan Purnima festival.

Except for the vagaries of weather in which four pilgrims were killed by a landslide, the yatra has been proceeding smoothly thanks to the extra ordinary security arrangements made to secure the passage of the devotees.