Srinagar, Aug 30 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday felicitated officers and personnel involved in the successful conduct of the 57-day Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026, saying the pilgrimage reflected the collective resolve and spirit of service of the people of the Union Territory.
Sinha felicitated officers of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), civil administration, Army, CAPFs, J&K Police, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), medical professionals, service providers and other stakeholders for ensuring a smooth and secure pilgrimage.
Addressing the gathering, the lieutenant governor expressed gratitude to security personnel, sanitation workers, pony operators, pithu bearers, palanquin carriers, langar volunteers and medical staff who worked despite difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions.
He said the successful conduct of the yatra was not the achievement of any single institution or department but of "Team Jammu Kashmir" as a whole.
The annual pilgrimage was held for 57 days from July 3 to August 28, during which around 4.80 lakh devotees had darshan of Baba Barfani, according to officials.
Adverse weather posed serious challenges for more than 10 days during the pilgrimage. About 82 per cent of the pilgrims completed darshan within the first 20 days, while 95 per cent completed it within the first month.
As many as 54,000 service providers were registered for the yatra, including 31,000 pony operators, pithu bearers and palanquin carriers, 6,400 tent and shop operators and 7,700 langar volunteers.
Around 1.87 lakh pilgrims availed themselves of palanquin and pony services during the pilgrimage.
The administration established 93 medical facilities along the route, equipped with 595 clinical beds and 26 oxygen booths. A total of 1,430 doctors and nursing personnel remained on round-the-clock duty, supported by 48 ambulances.
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As part of the zero-waste initiative, 7,900 toilets were installed and maintained by an equal number of sanitation workers, officials said.
The holding capacity within the yatra area was increased to 63,000, while the capacity across the Jammu and Kashmir divisions was raised to 54,000.
Aadhaar-based registration was also used to address the issue of duplicate registrations, while real-time monitoring of arrangements was ensured through twice-daily coordination meetings.
The meetings, held at 3 am and 8 pm, were led by Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, CEO of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board and Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, along with nodal officers, police officials, divisional commissioners and camp officers.
Sinha said the sacred pilgrimage reflected India's Sanatan tradition and its ethos of humanity, coexistence and collective service.
He said pilgrims from across the country returned not only with a religious experience but also with the message of Jammu and Kashmir's culture and hospitality.
The lieutenant governor also thanked civil society groups, political parties and religious leaders for extending support to the yatra.
"I am confident that every citizen of Jammu Kashmir fulfilled their moral responsibility towards this yatra, directly or indirectly, and elevated the rich cultural tradition of UT before the entire country," Sinha said.
He said the successful pilgrimage demonstrated that sustained effort, clear leadership, robust arrangements and a spirit of service could overcome major challenges.
"The sacred yatra of Baba Barfani has placed a clear inspiration before all stakeholders and the public that work is accomplished not by wishes alone, but by sustained effort," he said.(KNS).
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