Ganderbal: The first batch of Shri Amarnath Ji yatris arrived at the Baltal base camp on Friday amidst a grand welcome by the district civil administration Ganderbal and police.
The devotees from various parts of the country were greeted with bouquets, and traditional Kashmiri hospitality. The district administration and police have made elaborate arrangements to ensure a smooth and secure journey for the pilgrims, officials said.
The yatra, which is expected to attract thousands of devotees over the next few weeks, is being closely monitored by the authorities. The route to the cave shrine, situated at an altitude of 12,756 feet, has been cleared, and essential facilities like medical camps, food stalls, and sanitation services have been set up along the way.
The authorities have also set up medical facilities after every two kms for the pilgrims.
A three-tier security ring, comprising of police, CRPF, BSF and Army, has been put in place along the route to ensure peaceful yatra and foil any nefarious design by subversive elements to sabotage the annual pilgrimage, the officials said.
They said special rescue teams have also been deployed at vulnerable spots along the tracks to meet any eventuality.
The authorities have registered about 5000 dandi wallas, labourers and others for providing assistance to yatris at Baltal. Only registered dandi wallas and other labourers would be allowed to operate, the officials said.
The first batch of pilgrims will flagged off from the Baltal base camp early Saturday morning.
They will cover a distance of approximately 14 kilometers to reach the cave shrine, where they will pay their obeisance.
The administration has appealed to the pilgrims to follow the guidelines and instructions issued by the authorities to ensure a safe and successful yatra.

Sheikh Anees