Offline token distribution centre opens in Jammu –

Ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, the authorities today opened the offline token distribution centre at Saraswati Dham in Jammu. Pilgrims aspiring to undertake the Yatra thronged at the centre to get tokens for their on-the-spot registration. Tokens are being distributed to pilgrims undertaking the Yatra on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes at the Saraswati Dham token centre. The offline registration for yatra will begin tomorrow at Vaishnavi Dham, Panchayat Bhawan and Mahajan Sabha centres. The 38 day-long pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath will commence from the traditional 48-kilometre long Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the 14- kilometre shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district on 3rd July. However, the first batch of pilgrims will leave for Kashmir from the Jammu-based Bhagwati Nagar base camp Yatri Niwas on Wednesday. A dry run of the arrangements along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was also conducted today to ensure the smooth conduct of the annual yatra. Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police Bhim Sen Tuti accompanied the convoy to oversee all the security and other arrangements along the entire route.