Srinagar, June 7 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha chaired the 49th Board meeting of Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) which was attended by Members of the Shrine Board – Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj, Kailash Mehra Sadhu, K.K. Sharma, K.N. Rai, Mukesh Garg, Shailesh Raina, Simridhi Bindroo, Suresh Haware and Vishwamurti Shastri, an official said on Saturday.

The Board, which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor held a comprehensive review of the preparedness of all the line departments and proposed various measures and interventions to further improve the facilities for the devotees.

“The meeting discussed the arrangements and requisite amenities at base camps and various locations en-route Yatra including disaster preparedness and mitigation measures, dissemination of Yatra-related information, insurance cover to yatris and service providers, upgradation of Yatra Tracks, provision for sanitation water, power, transportation, and medical & health care facilities, telecom connectivity, Weather Forecasting, Digital Pre-paid system for hiring services, fire & emergency services, and civil supplies,” the statement said.

The Lieutenant Governor took appraisal of the progress on various ongoing projects and directed for ensuring completion of the identified works well in time for the convenience of the pilgrims.

“Safety and well-being of the Pilgrims is our top-most priority. We are committed to provide better facilities and amenities to ensure a hassle-free and spiritually enriching experience for all the pilgrims,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The meeting also discussed important matters pertaining to establishment of Yatri Niwas and Transit camps at various locations enroute, enhancement of lodgement capacity, expansion of Prasad Sale counters, operationalisation of Yatri facilitation centres, online services by the Board, issuance of RFID cards, registration and verification of pilgrims and service providers, Langar and NGO Services.

Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari, Chief Executive Officer, Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, gave a detailed presentation regarding the arrangements for the Yatra.

It was informed that around 3,31,000 devotees have registered for the holy yatra for this year, till date.

This year, Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra will commence on 3rd July, simultaneously from both the routes – the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district and it will culminate on 9th August, 2025 on Raksha Bandhan.

Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary, Jal Shakti Department; Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Chandraker Bharti, Principal Secretary Home; IGPs; Administrative Secretaries; Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Deputy Commissioners (Ganderbal and Anantnag); Additional CEO SASB and senior officers of the UT Administration, Police, Shrine Board and BRO also attended the meeting, in person and through virtual mode.

–IANS

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