5 Dariya News

Amarnath pilgrims rue inadequate chopper facilities

5 Dariya News (Rouf Pampori)

Ganderbal 24-Jul-2015

Hindu pilgrims Friday alleged that Amarnath Shrine Board has failed to provide proper Chopper facilities to the yatri’s.

A group of Hindu pilgrims told CNS that this time around only two helicopters had been put in service for the pilgrims at Baltal. “One of the choppers is not functioning after it developed some technical snag. Yatri’s are forced to spend night at Amarnath Shrine as no facility to take the yatri’s back to Baltal base camp on the same day is available,” the pilgrims said.

Earlier every pilgrim enjoyed to and fro facility but these days once you avail the helicopter service from Baltal base camp to Sheeshnag, you are being asked to spend a night there and the next day, chopper facility is provided to reach back to Baltal base camp. This has added to the problems of elderly pilgrims,” they said.When contacted an official from SASB said that there is adequate chopper facilities for the pilgrims. “Besides two private helicopters, two more choppers have been provided by the State Government and both have been in use to serve pilgrims,” he said. (CNS)