The Amarnath Yatra will start on July 2 and the duration of the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir will last for 48 days, officials said here on Thursday.
"Keeping in view the foremost concern of safety and security of the pilgrims, the board decided that a 48-day yatra would commence on July 2, 2016, an auspicious day (Massik Shivratri) as per Hindu calendar and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 18, 2016," a statement issued by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said.
Governor N.N. Vohra, who is the chairman of the board, presided over the 30th board meeting held in New Delhi.
Other than the pilgrims who would travel by helicopters on either route to Panjtarni, 7,500 pilgrims would be allowed to register for the yatra in 2016 on per day per route basis, it said.
It added that all pilgrims must obtain a Compulsory Health Certificate (CHC) from the doctors/hospitals nominated by the states and UTs before applying for a yatra permit.
