Banihal, July 28: A fresh batch of 3,029 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early Tuesday for the Baltal base camp in Kashmir under tight security arrangements, officials said.
According to the Joint Police Control Room, the 21st batch departed at 2:45 a.m. in a convoy of 151 vehicles, including 57 buses, 30 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 58 light motor vehicles (LMVs), and six two-wheelers.
The batch comprises 2,310 male pilgrims, 590 women, 14 children, 45 sadhus, 40 sadhvis, and 30 foreign male pilgrims. No convoy was scheduled for the Pahalgam axis.
Officials said the convoy is proceeding towards the Baltal base camp under multi-layer security and is expected to cross the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway subject to traffic 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, the officials added.
