Pilgrims resume trek as weather improves

Kashmir authorities yesterday allowed Hindu pilgrims to trek towards the Amarnath cave shrine as the weather improved along the north Kashmir Baltal route. “More than 6,000 pilgrims have moved ahead of Dumail towards the holy cave. We had stopped the pilgrims at Dumail3km ahead of Baltal base camp, because of heavy downpour in the area,” a senior official of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), said. “As the weather has improved now we are allowing the pilgrims towards the cave shrine.” Helicopter sorties between the base camp and the shrine had also resumed, the official said. Another batch of 2,500 pilgrims was allowed towards the cave on Monday morning from the south Kashmir Pahalgam base camp. State Governor N N Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), performed the traditional rituals inside the shrine in the morning. The 13,000ft-high Himalayan shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure.from gulf times.