Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Friday congratulated all the stakeholders involved in the conduct of the Amarnath Yatra that concluded on Friday.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that addressing media persons at Raj Bhawan auditorium, the LG said that this year's Amarnath Yatra witnessed 3.65 lakh RFID registered persons performing darshan at Amarnath Cave, which was the highest in the last 5 years.
He said that the number of yatris completing the yatra in the year 2016 was 2,20,490; 2,60,003 in 2017, 2,85,006 in 2018, and 3,43,587 in 2019.
The LG said that despite inclement weather conditions for 20 days out of 44 days, the overall yatra remained satisfactory.
He said that the RAS survey by yatris shows a 93 percent satisfaction rating on various parameters, while 73 percent of the darshans were performed in the first 20 days of the yatra.
LG Sinha said that the feedback received from the yatris about the facilities had been overwhelming for the administration.
“The Amarnath shrine board, civil administration, J&K Police, Army, CAPFs, NDRF, SDRF, volunteers, and other stakeholders, especially the locals quickly carried out rescue and evacuation operations after July 8 flash floods and saved many precious lives. The dedication and commitment of our Police and the security forces had ensured the safety and security of the yatris,” he said. “I also express gratitude to the Centre and media persons for their support in the successful conduct of the yatra.”
The LG enlisted various new initiatives taken for Shri Amarnathji Yatra which resumed after two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the carrying capacity of the yatris increased by 80 percent compared to the previous years.
LG Sinha said that special arrangements were made across J&K to accommodate 1,25,000 yatris in comparison to 70,000 yatris earlier.
“A new Yatri Niwas at Chanderkote with 3600 capacity was opened for the yatris this year which proved to be a key facility in accommodating more yatris, even during inclement weather,” he said. “For the first time, RFID tracking of yatris was introduced which proved very helpful in the tracking of the yatris, especially during the time of disaster on July 8, many yatris could be traced using RFID technology.”
The LG said that a 240 percent increase in the number of toilets and unprecedented sanitation arrangements ensured litter-free and open-defecation-free yatra.
“Moreover, 190 percent increase in the number of beds in hospitals, additional 100 bedded medical facility developed at each of the base camps and 50 beds installed additionally on each axis, 85 percent increase in the number of oxygen booths, besides two DRDO hospitals, one each at Baltal and Chandanwari had aptly catered to the health needs of the yatris as well as locals and other stakeholders and saved many precious lives,” he said. “This year, yatris availed helicopter services from four sectors instead of two sectors. Two new heli sectors from Srinagar to Neelgrath and Srinagar to Pahalgam opened for the yatris. Free of cost battery car service to the yatris between Baltal and Domel, 200 percent increase in the number RO water purifiers in each camp and on the tracks, underground cabling on Baltal axis provided three-phase 24x7 power supply and backup generator set helped in providing enhanced facilities to the yatris.”
The LG said that PTZ cameras installed on yatra tracks for surveillance resolved many issues and helped in the minute-to-minute monitoring of yatra.
He said that the prepaid system introduced for the hiring of pony, pithos, and palkis also prevented overcharging of yatris.
“Three times the number of camp officers were deployed to effectively manage the yatra. Daily coordination meetings by CEO SASB with Divisional Commissioners, DCs, camp officers, and other stakeholders yielded better results,” LG Sinha said. “Integrated Command and Control Center (IIIC) for quick monitoring and immediate response was established at Srinagar with Nodal officers from all the concerned departments.”
He said that the volunteer students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Jammu rendered technological assistance in yatra while a senior IAS officer was deployed as nodal officer for each axis of the yatra.
The LG said that to facilitate the yatris, the yatra registration was started on April 11 through both online and offline modes by 566 bank branches of SBI, PNB, J&K Bank, and Yes Bank throughout the country.
About the inclement weather conditions resulting in lessening the expected number of yatris, he said that no target numbers were fixed for the yatra.
The LG said that arrangements were made given the anticipated increase of yatris since the yatra could not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.
Regarding the presence of any lake over the cave, he said that experts were consulted in this regard and no water body was found there.