The pilgrimage was suspended through the route on Friday following rough weather. With the weather conditions improving, the pilgrims were allowed to move from Baltal base camp towards the holy cave. However, despite the rough weather, there was no disruption in the pilgrimage from the traditional route of Pahalgam, in south Kashmir. The pilgrimage is continuing from there since June 29, the first day of the Yatra.
The pilgrimage was cancelled from Jammu on Saturday due to inclement weather and in a bid to control the rush of pilgrims. “We are facing a serious problem as besides the registered pilgrims, the unregistered yatris are also reaching the base camps,” said Shafeeq Ahmad, a government official.
Shafeeq added that it is becoming difficult to control the rush of the pilgrims and their onward movement towards the holy cave.” The rush of pilgrims during rough weather can lead to a tragedy, as it happened in 1996, when dozens of yatris lost their lives due to snowfall and cold,”Shafeeq said.
The Nitish Sengupta Commission, set up to enquire into the 1996 incident, recommended restricting number of yatris to 3,500 per day from Pahalgam and Baltal routes. But this recommendation was not being followed, said Mohammad Nayeem, another government official.
Nearly 13,000 yatris left the Baltal base camp for the holy cave shrine on Saturday morning.