2.50 LAKH PILGRIMS REGISTER FOR AMARNATH YATRA

Srinagar June 2 (Only Kashmir): More than 2.50 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves for the forthcomingAmarnath yatra to the holy cave shrine in Jammu & Kashmir.

The number of pilgrims registered till last evening was 2.55 lakh. The quota for registration through online service as well as at 47 branches of J&K Bank has been exhausted, chief executive officer of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) N K Chaudhury said.

Chaudhury was briefing a meeting yesterday chaired by governor N N Vohra, who is also chairman of the SASB, for reviewing arrangements for the annual pilgrimage scheduled to begin from June 25.

The board decided to release additional quota for registration through those J&K Bank branches where the earlier allotted quota has been exhausted, a spokesman of the SASB said.

"Additional quota for online registration through the website of Jammu and Kashmir Bank has also been made available," he said.

Meanwhile, fresh snowfall in upper reaches and rains in the plains have hampered the track clearance work.

Expressing concern over the inclement weather forecast for the next week, the governor directed the CEO to ensure that additional manpower is deployed to complete all tasks on a war-footing.(OK)