The first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims that left for Pahalagam and Batla on Friday were received by the district administration at Kali Mata Temple at Tikri in Udhampur district. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Singh flagged off the first batch of pilgrims amid tight security from the Yatri Niwas base camp at Bhagwati Nagar. News agency ANI shared a visual from Tikri in which pilgrims were seen being welcomed by Ramesh Kumar, Commandant, 137 Battalion CRPF, Udhampur and other CRPF personnel.
Kumar after welcoming the pilgrims, told ANI, "The Yatra has just reached Kali Mata temple in Tikri. Travel security is in progress. All the passengers and people are excited. Local people have also welcomed Amarnath pilgrims."
The first batch for the Yatra left for the twin base camps in Kashmir to undertake a pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva in the south Kashmir Himalayas. The 62-day-long pilgrimage will commence from Kashmir on July 1 from the twin tracks.
Over 3,500 pilgrims have arrived in Jammu for their onward journey to Amarnath and multi-tier security setup has been activated in and around the Bhagwati Nagar base camp and a convoy carrying pilgrims, which will leave Jammu for Kashmir, will be fully guarded by CRPF troops with area domination being done by Army and police.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday night visited the yatri niwas base camp here and reviewed arrangements put in place for the pilgrims, an official spokesperson said.
Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, took stock of food and lodging of the pilgrims besides reviewing security arrangements, functioning of joint control rooms, langer stalls, registration counters, power and water supply, health facilities and sanitation.
He also reviewed the facilities of transportation, deployment of health staff, fire tenders and emergency services.
Sinha also welcomed the pilgrims from across the country who had arrived at the base camp.