Fulfilling the long pending demand of the devotees, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday launched the online helicopter booking service portal for this year's Amarnath Yatra. Devotees can easily log on to Shrine Board's website www.jksasb.nic.in for the booking of helicopter tickets for the Yatra.

Dedicating a new online service to the devotees of the holy cave of Amarnath, the Lt Governor said, "It was a long pending endeavour of the Government to introduce helicopter services from Srinagar for better connectivity and accessibility".

For the first time,  the devotees can travel directly from Srinagar to Panchtarni and complete the holy yatra in a single day.

The Lt Governor further directed the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and other concerned agencies to ensure hassle-free and secure online helicopter booking service for the pilgrims.

Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor briefed the Lt Governor about the new helicopter booking service portal for Amarnath Yatra.

LG Manoj Sinha
DIPR J&K

Earlier helicopter services were operational only for two sectors

The helicopter, earlier, services were operational for only two sectors, but now, the pilgrims can avail of the services in four sectors (to and fro) viz. Srinagar to Neelgrath, Srinagar to Pahalgam, Neelgrath to Panchtarni, and Pahalgam to Panchtarni, with a total of 11 helicopters to remain available for the passengers. The addition of two new sectors from Srinagar will encourage those Yatris who wish to complete the Yatra in a single day and can return home.

This facility is also available for devotees who want to travel only one way. The one-way tariff from Srinagar to Neelgrath shall be Rs. 11,700; Srinagar to Pahalgam Rs. 10,800; Neelgrath to Panchtarni Rs. 2,800 and Pahalgam to Panchtarni Rs. 4,200.

The portal was designed and developed by National Informatics Centre, State Unit Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Amarnath Cave
social media

Amarnath Yatra to commence on June 30

This year, the 43-day holy pilgrimage of Amarnath will commence on 30th June with all COVID protocols in place and will culminate, as per the tradition, on the 11th of August on the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan.

The Yatra would commence simultaneously from both the routes – the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district. Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has decided to put in place a daily route-wise pilgrim's ceiling of 10,000 excluding Yatris who would travel by helicopter. The Board has also decided to extend the free-of-cost battery car service for Yatris at the 2.75 Km-long Baltal to Domel stretch.

Expecting a heavy footfall of Yatris, the Shrine Board has made adequate arrangements this year. In 2020 and 2021, due to COVID, no yatra was held.

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