Jammu: In the early hours of Monday, officials reported that the 18th batch of over 4,800 pilgrims departed from Jammu to the twin base camps in Kashmir for the Amarnath Yatra. Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel accompanied them.
The pilgrims included 3,464 men, 1,333 women, 14 children, and 64 sadhus and sadhvis, traveling in 162 vehicles.
Approximately 2,957 pilgrims opted for the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route, while 1,918 chose the shorter 14-km Baltal route, known for its steepness.
Since June 28, a total of 96,072 pilgrims have embarked on this journey from the Jammu base camp to the Valley, following the flag-off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The 52-day yatra, which commenced on June 29, is scheduled to conclude on August 19. Last year, more than 4.5 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine.
