Jammu, Mar 27 (KNO): The registration of pilgrims for Shri Amarnathji Yatra is going to commence on 1st April 2021, from both Baltal and Chandanwari routes through 446 designated Bank branches of Punjab National Bank (316), Jammu & Kashmir Bank (90) and YES Bank (40), all over the country. This year’s 56 days Yatra shall commence simultaneously on both the routes from 28th June, 2021 and culminate on Raksha Bandhan, the 22nd August, 2021.
Nitishwar Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has informed that the step-by-step procedure, application form and state-wise list of bank branches with complete addresses is available at Shrine Board’s website.
The CEO said that for ensuring against fraudulent health certificates, only such certificates which are issued by doctors / Medical Institutes authorized by the concerned State Government / UT Administrations shall be accepted at the Registered Bank Branches. For Yatra 2021, only those health certificates which have been issued after 15th March, 2021 shall be valid.
The steps which yatris need to follow in order to register for the Yatra, have been put on the Board’s website www.shriamarnathjishrine.com. It also contains relevant information on how to reach the Base Camps, fee for yatra registration, tariff for ponies, palanquin and porters.
The CEO further informed that persons under the age of 13 years or above the age of 75 years and ladies who are more than six weeks pregnant would not be registered for this year’s yatra.
The CEO also informed that the Yatra Permits would be different for each day of the week and route, with a different colour coding for each day to facilitate the police personnel deployed at the Access Control Gates at Baltal and Chandanwari to regulate the Yatra for the relevant date and route. In this context, he cautioned the intending pilgrims against undertaking this arduous yatra without securing a Yatra Permit and the required Compulsory Health Certificate.
Nitishwar Kumar stressed that, for ensuring effective security arrangements along the difficult tracks, only those yatris who are in possession of a Yatra Permit which is valid for a specified date and route, will be allowed to proceed beyond the Base Camps, and cross the entry gates at Domel and Chandanwari.
He appealed to all intending yatris to complete the necessary formalities for registration in advance and timely obtain a Yatra Permit, in their own interest, so that they do not face any inconvenience when they embark on their yatra.
Yatris who propose to travel by helicopter do not require advance registration as their helicopter tickets shall suffice for this purpose. However, they shall be required to produce the Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) in the prescribed format issued by an authorized doctor, before they are allowed to travel by helicopter—(KNO)