Srinagar: Despite cloudy weather, annual yatra was progressing smoothly as fresh batches of pilgrims left Baltal and Nunwan Pahalgam base camps for the holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas, where so far about 2.75 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance since its commencement 
The 60-day-long yatra which commenced from June 28 and will conclude on August 26.
On the 41st day of yatra on Tuesday, 348 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine. Pilgrims who had night halt at nearby camps are reaching the cave shrine to pay obeisance since Wednesday morning. With this, a total of about 2.75 lakh Yatris had the darshan of the ‘Shivling’ at the holy cave. Majority of the pilgrims had returned to their homes after their annual pilgrimage

A fresh batch of about 500 pilgrims left Baltal base camp for the holy shrine. The sources said the yatris started their foot journey towards the cave shrine despite cloudy weather. The pilgrims who had night halt at cave shrine after darshan, have also started their return journey towards Baltal base camp.
A fresh batch of small number of yatris left Nunwan Pahalgam base camp for Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station on traditional route.
Meanwhile, Governor N N Vohra, Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) reviewed with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SASB Umang Narula, the arrangements put in place at various yatra camps and en-route for carrying out sanitation and cleaning work on Tuesday.
This entire campaign being implemented by the Shrine Board is in close collaboration with the Pahalgam Development Authority and the Sonamarg Development Authority in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
The CEO informed that in view of thinning of the yatra and the return movement of ‘langars’ and service roviders, sanitation and camp cleaning in all the yatra camps and en-route has been intensified and every effort is being made to ensure that all plastic and other non-biodegradable materials, including plastic bottles, is cleared from the tracks and along the hill slopes and brought down to Baltal and Nunwan where plastic materials, ( predominately consisting of plastic bottles) are crushed in the shredding machines specially installed by the Shrine Board.