In a noteworthy move
to make the pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Amarnath in Jammu and Kashmir more
comfortable and accessible for devotees, the Border Roads Organisation or BRO
has expanded the road connectivity, making the holy cave accessible by
motorable road.
The widening of
the road from Dumail to the Amarnath cave via Baltal base camp in Ganderbal
district of central Kashmir has been completed, with the first set of vehicles
reaching the shrine.
In the
praiseworthy work done by the BRO, the personnel completed the formidable task
and created history by expanding road connectivity up to the Amarnath cave
shrine.
Sharing a video on
X, the BRO said, “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.”
Earlier, the Jammu
and Kashmir Government’s Public Works Department was maintaining the Baltal
shrine track in Ganderbal district and the Pahalgam Development Authority was
maintaining the Pahalgam shrine route in Anantnag district.
In September last
year, the Amarnath Yatra tracks were handed over to the BRO for both
maintenance and upgradation.
However, the
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) disapproved the development dubbing it as 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,” remarked PDP spokesperson
Mohit Bhan in a post on X.
He further said
turning religious pilgrimages into picnic spots for “mere political gains” is
worth condemnation.
Responding
quickly, the BJP said 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 during the entire process.
“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,” commented the
BJP’s Jammu-Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur.
The Amarnath Yatra
is a significant annual event of Hindus when thousands of devotees participate
in it and this year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the holy
shrine.
NE Watch Desk With
Agency Inputs
