A fresh batch of 6,251 pilgrims, including 50 foreign devotees, departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early Wednesday for the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra under multi-layered security arrangements.
According to officials, 2,985 pilgrims opted for the shorter Baltal route, while 3,266 proceeded towards the Nunwan base camp via the traditional Pahalgam route.
The convoy comprised 230 vehicles, including 137 buses, 34 medium motor vehicles (MMVs) and 59 light motor vehicles (LMVs).
The batch included 4,439 men, 1,614 women, 13 children, 78 sadhus, 53 sadhvis, one child sadhu, three transgender pilgrims and 50 foreign male devotees.
Officials said the Baltal-bound convoy departed at 2:42 am, followed by the Pahalgam-bound convoy at 3:27 am under elaborate security arrangements.
With the departure of the latest batch, the total number of pilgrims who have left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp for the holy cave shrine since the Yatra departures commenced on July 2 has reached 99,287, officials added.
