Governor N.N. Vohra, Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, reviewed the arrangements for the advance registration for the 60 day long Shri Amarnathji Yatra (2018) which is scheduled to commence on 28th June, 2018 and conclude on Raksha Bandhan; which falls on 26th August 2018. Shri Umang Narula, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, informed that the Advance Registration of pilgrims for the Yatra duly commenced on 1st March 2018, for both the Baltal and Chandanwari routes. This Registration is being done through 440 designated Bank branches of Punjab National Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank and YES Bank which are located across the country, in 32 States and UTs.Governor was informed that 1457 pilgrims were registered on the first day and, further, that special registration facility is also being provided for ex-India pilgrims through Punjab National Bank. Group Registration Facility is available directly from the office of the Shrine Board and this registration is meant to accommodate large groups, comprising minimum 5 and maximum 50 persons.
Shri Narula informed that all necessary information relating to Registration of Yatris for this year’s Yatra has been uploaded on the Board’s website,www.shriamarnathjishrine.com, for the convenience of intending pilgrims. Interalia, this includes the step-by-step procedure which the Yatris need to follow to register for the Yatra, application form, state-wise list of bank branches with complete addresses, format of Compulsory Health Certificate, State-wise list of designated doctors and health institutions, Health Advisory, Dos and Don’ts and all other Yatra related information.For Yatra 2018, only those Health Certificates which have been issued after 15th February 2018 shall be valid. Further children under the age of 13 years or persons above the age of 75 years and ladies who are more than six weeks pregnant would not be registered for this year’s Yatra.As a continuing practice, Yatra Permits for the Yatra-2018 would be different for each day of the week / and route, with a different colour coding for each day, to facilitate the Police personnel deployed at the Access Control Gates at Domel (Baltal) and Chandanwari (Pahalgam) to regulate the Yatra for the relevant date and route.
CEO informed that he had just attended a meeting chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting which discussed measures to be taken for creating awareness among pilgrims via screening of documentaries, Public Interest Messages, Dos and Don’ts, Audio and Video Spots, Scrolls etc. at AIR, Doordarshan (National and Regional Channels), from 1st March to 26th August, 2018.CEO further informed that Yatris who propose to travel by helicopter do not require Advance Registration as their helicopter tickets shall suffice for this purpose. However, they shall not be allowed to travel by helicopter unless they produce their Compulsory Health Certificate, in the prescribed format and issued by an authorized Doctor.In order to create general awareness on the Advance Registration of pilgrims across the country, the Shrine Board has started a mass information campaign by using the services of 92.7 BIG FM Radio in ten major cities of the country.Governor Vohra directed CEO to ensure day to day continuous updation of all Yatra related information on the Shrine Board’s website. He also directed that queries raised by the pilgrims must be answered on priority, preferably the same day, so that the intending pilgrims do not face any inconvenience in securing Advance Registration for Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2018.