Jammu, August 5
As many as 797 pilgrims, who left here this morning for Amarnath cave shrine, were stranded between Udhampur and Kud as the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been blocked due to landslides at several places.The devotees had left in a fleet of 26 vehicles from the base camp of M A M stadium here around 5.30 a.m. and crossed Udhampur when authorities received information that the highway was blocked ahead of Patnitop due to landslides and shooting of stones at several places.
An Army spokesman said landslides have
occurred ahead of Patnitop and are expected to be cleared by tomorrow if the weather holds.
The pilgrims would either be brought back to Jammu or arrangements for their boarding and lodging would be made at Udhampur, the spokesman said.
Reports from Srinagar said 2315 pilgrims left from Pahalgam for their journey to the shrine this morning, while 1837 others started trekking from Baltal route. About 3.79 lakh devotees have performed prayers at Amarnath shrine so far.
Meanwhile, the Doda-Kishtwar road has also been blocked due to landslides triggered by overnight heavy rains, the reports said.
Superintendent of Police (Ramban-Banihal) Gareeb Dass said heavy rains lashed the Jammu-Srinagar road and its upper reaches and triggered landslides at Karol, Kela Morh and Nashri as a result of which the highway was blocked to vehicular traffic at about 9 a.m. He said 797 ‘yatris’, who were on their way to the holy Amarnath cave shrine in 21 buses and five light motor vehicles, were stranded on the highway.
A woman was killed after her house collapsed due to a landslide triggered by incessant rains at Bagh-e-Bahu near here this morning, police said.
— PTI, UNI
