Srinagar: The Border Roads Organization has constructed roads, allowing vehicles to directly access the revered Hindu Holy Amarnath cave nestled in the Himalayas.
However, the establishment of direct vehicle access to the Amarnath Cave, while undoubtedly convenient for pilgrims, raises concerns about its negative impact on the ecologically fragile zone as experts affirm.
An official from the BRO said that they successfully transported a truck and a small pickup vehicle from Dumail in the Ganderbal district to the Amarnath Cave via the Baltal base camp, one of the two routes to access the cave.
"The vehicles were dispatched to the cave to transport essential supplies, as there is substantial permanent work to be carried out. This achievement by the BRO is remarkable, as it was accomplished in a relatively short timeframe. Our primary goal was to reach the site before the onset of snowfall,” he said.
Currently, the BRO has widened the road stretch to nearly 13 kilometres from the Sangam base to the cave, connecting through the Sangam top road via Baltal. “This newly accessible road to Amarnath is expected to significantly reduce travel time for pilgrims,” he added.
The Amarnath cave, located in South Kashmir, sits at an elevation of approximately 3,888 meters above sea level and holds immense significance as a holy pilgrimage site for Hindus.
Annually, thousands of Indian devotees participate in the Amarnath Yatra, and as per officials, this year saw over 4.5 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine.
The Yatra proceeds simultaneously from two routes: the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and the Baltal route in the Ganderbal district.
In April of this year, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced a project to build the 110 km-long Amarnath Marg leading to the holy Amarnath cave in Pahalgam with a cost of around Rs 5300 crore.
