The annual Amarnath Yarta is set to commence from June 28 this year and will culminate on the Raksha Bandhan festival which falls on August 22.
According to the reports, the decision over the commencement of the Amarnath yatra was taken in a meeting by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) chaired by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan here.
ALSO READ | Uttarakhand: Fire Breaks Out On Delhi-Dehradun Shatabdi Express, No Injuries Reported
The authorities have decided to begin the registration process for the 56-day long annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnathji in south Kashmir Himalayas April 1 through 446 designated branches of Punjab National Bank, Jammu and Kashmir Bank and YES bank in 37 states and Union Territories.
The board has decided to hold the event, keeping with the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines. It also assured to continue the live telecast/ virtual darshan of the morning and evening Aarti besides the traditional rituals as per past practices.
It is to be noted that the SASB board had cancelled the Amarnath Yatra last year in 2020 saying that yatra would begin July 21 and continue till August 3, however, the decision was rolled back. It was restricted to a group of Sadhus last year due to coronavirus pandemic, while a year earlier it was called off mid-way due to a "terror threat."