Guwahati: The Amarnath Yatra to the Kashmir valley started amidst religious hymns on Thursday morning.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first group of Amarnath Yatris from Yatri Niwas Bhawan in Jammu. More than 3000 pilgrims departed for the Kashmir valley in the early hours of today. The 48-kilometer Nunwan base camp in Anantnag, south Kashmir, and the 14-kilometer shorter Baltal base camp in Ganderbal, central Kashmir, are where the 43-day journey has started.
Several political and religious leaders, including Jammu Mayor Chander Mohan Gupta, BJP leader Devender Rana and Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta, were present at the flagging off ceremony.
The trek has started again after a two-year hiatus. The yatra was unable to be held for the past two years due of the Covid-19 outbreak. According to the rules set forward by the administration of Jammu and Kashmir, pilgrims would be required to provide their Aadhaar cards.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Administration have implemented strict security measures in response to terrorist threats. The Jammu Srinagar National Highway in the Udhampur district has been made more secure. The Central Reserve Police Force’s bike squad commandos are accompanying the yatris (CRPF). Strict vigil is being maintained at the India-Pakistan international border and Line of Control.