Arrangements finalised for SBBAY-2025 in Pir Panjal region

Rajouri, Jul 25: The Pir Panjal region has braced itself to welcome Yatris from across the nation who shall be taking part in the pilgrimage to pay obeisance before Rock form of Shivling, referred to as Chattani Shivling, located in Shri Baba Budha Amarnath temple in Mandi tehsil of Poonch district.

The arrangements for Shri Baba Budha Amarnath Yatra (SBBAY)- 2025 in its final stage.

The pilgrimage will commence from July 27 and the Hindu religious organisations are expecting a rise in the number of pilgrims taking part in it.

This pilgrimage is considered to be a sacred one and is also believed that the actual blessing of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra for devotees is possible only after they go on SBBAY.

For this pilgrimage, elaborate arrangements have been made across twin district Rajouri and Poonch which remains to be the epicenter as pilgrims after leaving from Jammu arrive in Rajouri to take lunch and later arrive in Poonch.

After night halt at Poonch, the pilgrims on the next morning pay obeisance at Shri Baba Budha Amarnath temple located in scenic hills of Mandi town.

In Rajouri, Yatra camps have been established in Sunderbani, Nowshera and Rajouri while similar camps have been established enroute at Sunderbani while main night camp is at Poonch where Yatris will stay for night.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rajouri Abhishek Sharma on Friday conducted an extensive inspection of the arrangements being put in place at Yatri Ground for the Budha Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.

He chaired a review meeting at the venue to ensure seamless coordination among departments and timely completion of all preparations.

DC Rajouri took stock of key facilities including water supply, uninterrupted power supply, sanitation and the installation of bio-toilets. He directed for separate signages for male and female facilities to ensure convenience and orderliness for the yatris.

Special emphasis was laid on the fire safety audit of the venue.

The concerned officers were instructed to ensure all precautionary measures are taken and necessary equipment is placed at strategic locations.

DC also reviewed pruning of trees in and around the venue area to avoid any safety hazards.

The availability of ambulances, deployment of medical teams, preparation of duty rosters, and deployment of AYUSH instructors were also reviewed to ensure robust health and wellness support to the pilgrims.

The BRO has been assigned the responsibility to maintain roads and ensure the Nowshera tunnel remains operational during the daytime, which is vital for smooth transportation.

To maintain traffic flow, the Traffic Police will regulate vehicular movement and oversee parking arrangements. The SDRF teams will be deployed at designated locations to respond swiftly in case of any emergency situations.

The tourism department was directed to install informative and welcome hoardings at prominent locations.

DC stressed upon all departments to work in close coordination and complete all assigned tasks well before the scheduled date of the Yatra to ensure a safe, comfortable and spiritually fulfilling experience for the pilgrims.