Daijiworld Media Network- Srinagar

Srinagar, Jul 30: The annual Amarnath Yatra was temporarily suspended on Wednesday from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes due to continuous heavy rainfall lashing the Kashmir Valley since early morning.

In an official update, the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) stated, “Shri Amarnathji Yatra has been suspended for July 30 from both Pahalgam and Baltal base camps.” The announcement came amid concerns over safety on the slippery and rain-battered tracks leading to the holy cave shrine.

Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, confirmed that the yatra has been put on hold as a precautionary measure. "Due to persistent heavy rain in the yatra areas, movement along the pilgrimage routes from both Baltal and Nunwan/Chandanwari has been suspended to ensure the safety of the devotees," he said.

So far, over 3.93 lakh pilgrims have successfully undertaken the spiritual journey to pay obeisance at the revered Amarnath cave shrine this season. However, due to the current weather situation, the yatra will also remain suspended from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Thursday, July 31.

“No convoy movement towards Baltal and Nunwan base camps will be allowed from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, on Thursday due to the rainfall-induced disruptions,” the DIPR added in its advisory.

Authorities are closely monitoring the weather, and the yatra is expected to resume once conditions are deemed safe for pilgrims.