Slugfest over the Amarnath Yatra route
An engineering feat achieved by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) by way of completing the road widening work up to the Amarnath cave shrine via Baltal route and parking heavy vehicles near the base camp has triggered a fresh war of words between the Kashmir-based political parties and the Bharatiya Janta Party in Jammu and Kashmir.
The BRO was tasked with widening the nearly 13-kilometer road stretch to the cave from the Sangam base and Sangam top road via Baltal. The road to Amarnath would further reduce the travel time for pilgrims in the coming times.
The cave of Shri Amarnath Ji in South Kashmir is situated at a height of about 3,888 meters above sea level, and the Yatra holds immense significance as a holy pilgrimage for Hindus.
This year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the cave shrine. The Union Territory administration is now gearing up to host a larger number of pilgrims after completing the road-widening from next year.
In April this year, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced that the 110 km-long Amarnath Marg leading to the holy Amarnath cave in Pahalgam would be built at a cost of around Rs.5300 crore for the convenience of the pilgrims going to Shri Amarnath shrine.
The Border Roads Organization on November 2 posted a video on X (earlier Twitter) announcing the completion of the formidable task.
“Project Beacon is involved in the restoration and improvement of Amarnath Yatra tracks. Border Roads personnel completed the formidable task and created history with the first set of vehicles reaching the holy cave,” BRO announced in a post on X.
@BROindia Project Beacon is involved in restoration and improvement of Amarnath Yatra tracks.
Border Roads personnel completed the formidable task and created history with first set of vehicles reaching the holy cave.
Jai Hind! Jai BRO!!@narendramodi… pic.twitter.com/gjFBhcgp36
— 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐎𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (@BROindia) November 2, 2023
To complete the work before the fresh snowfall BRO deployed a truck and a small pickup vehicle to reach the cave shrine. They reached the cave shrine from Dumail (in Ganderbal district) to Amarnath Cave via Baltal base camp on November 2.
The yatra takes place simultaneously from both routes – the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and Baltal in the Ganderbal district.
Meanwhile, a political slugfest is also going on in the valley.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Monday criticized the move calling it the “biggest crime” committed to the faith of Hindus.
“This is not history, it’s the biggest crime one can commit to Hinduism and its faith in nature. Hinduism is all about immersing in spiritual mother nature, that’s why our pilgrimages are in the lap of the Himalayas,” PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan posted on X.
Bhan said turning religious pilgrimages into picnic spots for “mere political gains” is worth condemnation.“We have seen the wrath of God in Joshimath, Kedarnath, and yet we are learning no lessons instead inviting a catastrophe in Kashmir,” the PDP leader said.
The BJP’s J&K unit hit back at the PDP saying laying of the concrete road up to the holy cave shrine is being done after proper Environmental Impact Assessment and no trees have been cut.
“With the shrine of Baba Amarnath, lakhs of people have their faith. PDP by opposing and finding faults in the road stretch is trying to repeat the 2008 land row, but people are wise enough and won’t fall prey to politics of deceit again,” the BJP’s J-K spokesperson Altaf Thakur said in a statement.
Several netizens also reacted sharply to this development on social media.
A famous author and a senior journalist Rahul Pandita posted a comment on X, saying, “This is a disastrous move. The cave is under tremendous pressure already. The ice Shivling will disappear, do not do this”.
Echoing similar sentiments another netizen Jwalant Desai commented, “Should be kept only for rescue and logistics…No Yatra should be allowed through this…”
Several others congratulated BRO for achieving this milestone.
Vishal Jaju posted a comment, “No doubt it is a commendable task BRO India and heartiest Congratulations to you for this amazing feature. But the question is “Isn’t it going to spoil the ecosystem of the most fragile landscape?”
Another social media user Zaeem Khan wrote, “It is an environmental hazard on this road, yatra should have been allowed to take place traditionally“.
Param wrote, “Mehbooba Mufti’s party PDP has opposed this road construction, calling it against nature. If a direct road reaches Amarnath, who will benefit from it? Obviously, the youth of Kashmir. Tourism will increase, and more and more people who could not reach here earlier will also be able to visit Shri Amarnath ji.
Manda Bendre commented, “Kudos to BRO and the hard work they put in extreme conditions.”
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2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.
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