Jammu: The sacred journey to the Amarnath cave shrine hit a rain-soaked roadblock on Saturday, as the yatra was suspended from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu.
For the second straight day, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the only all-weather link to the Valley remained closed, leaving pilgrims stranded and officials scrambling.
No fresh batch of devotees was allowed to move towards Kashmir, with repair crews battling slush and mud on the Ladha-Samroli stretch in Udhampur district. Fresh spells of rain in Ramban and Udhampur further slowed the work, turning the highway into a slippery trap.
Since its start on July 3, nearly 4.5 lakh pilgrims have braved the elements to visit the cave shrine, where the naturally formed ice lingam draws thousands each year. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
Meanwhile, with pilgrim inflow dipping, the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board shifted registration and token counters from the Tawi Riverfront to Bhagwati Nagar base camp, consolidating facilities like e-KYC and RFID issuance.
Officials say the pilgrimage will resume once the highway is cleared, reminding devotees that the spiritual journey is always at the mercy of the mountain weather.