Jammu, February 25
The annual pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath Shrine would commence on June 25 and culminate on August 2. With many pilgrims losing their lives due to health problems, it has been decided that devotees would now have to produce a medical certificate at the time of registration in order to undertake the arduous 14 km trek.

These decisions were taken last evening during a meeting of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra. If the weather permits, the yatra could start before June 25.

The Board said that a health certificate by a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) was mandatory a must to avoid causalities on the trek. As many as 45, 68 and 107 persons had lost their lives during the Yatra in 2009, 2010 and 2011, respectively. It directed that the registration process should commence well ahead of the commencement date of the Yatra.

Regarding the date of commencement of the Yatra 2012, the Board accepted the recommendation of the sub-committee headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar to offer advice on the duration and schedule of the Yatra in 2012 and beyond.

The Board noted that during the 2010 and 2011 Yatras, despite vigorous efforts to carry out snow clearance operations on the Chandanwari-Sheshnag-MG Top-Panjtarni-Holy Cave axis, this route could become fit for movement only around the end of June. So the best time for the Yatra to commence was on June 25.