Undeterred by Uttarakhand tragedy, thousands set for Amarnath yatra

It could take years to re-build Uttarakhand which has been devastated by landslides and floods that followed the torrential rains, but the images of devastation haven't deterred pilgrims who are set to start the Amarnath yatra on Friday. Close to 12,000 pilgrims have been registered for the yatra.

Devotees will trek 3,880 metres through a rugged and treacherous terrain making them susceptible to mishaps. The climb - whether on foot or horseback - can get really risky on two counts. Firstly, the trek gets very slippery even to slightest of rains. This coupled with the inability of the shrine board to regulate pilgrim rush, usually the highest in the first week, increases the chances of a tragedy as fatal as the one seen in Uttarakhand.

Although 12,000 registered pilgrims will start their trek to the holy cave shrine via the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam, many unregistered ones too manage to sneak in. "If they don't register the yatris, then there could be a situation like Uttarakhand," said Lalit Kumar, a pilgrim. Others point out to the security risks that comes with unregistered pilgrims. "Unregistered yatris is a problem and it can even be a security issue," said another pilgrim.

The authorities, however, are putting a brave face. "We are fully prepared to tackle any situation. We will regulate the number of yatris. No unregistered yatri will be allowed to Panjtarni," said Farooq Lone, DC Anantnag.

While unregistered yatris could pose a danger to the pilgrimage, the resurgence of militancy in Kashmir is also a concern. Though pilgrims claim they are unfazed by the threat, the administration is taking no chances. The administration have deployed extra security precautions.

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