A fresh batch of 3,029 pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early Tuesday for the Baltal base camp in Kashmir under multi-layer security arrangements, officials said.
According to the Joint Police Control Room, the 21st batch left at 2:45 a.m. in a convoy of 151 vehicles, comprising 57 buses, 30 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 58 light motor vehicles (LMVs) and six two-wheelers.
The batch includes 2,310 male pilgrims, 590 women, 14 children, 45 sadhus, 40 sadhvis and 30 foreign male pilgrims. Officials said no convoy was scheduled for the Pahalgam route on Tuesday.
The convoy is proceeding towards the Baltal base camp under tight security and is expected to cross the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, subject to traffic movement and weather conditions.
With the departure of the latest batch, the total number of pilgrims who have left the Jammu base camp for the annual Shri Amarnath Yatra this year has reached 1,30,355, officials said.
