Amarnath Yatra remains suspended for 2nd day

JAMMU: The annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas remained suspended for the second consecutive day today due to inclement weather conditions even though Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was thrown open for light vehicles.

No vehicle carrying pilgrims was allowed to proceed towards Kashmir from Jammu because of the prevailing weather conditions, a police officer said.

"The highway (Jammu-Srinagar) was thrown open for the movement of light motor vehicles today but we did not allow yatra vehicles to proceed from Jammu owing to the bad weather conditions along the highway and the Kashmir Valley," the officer said.

"The decision to allow the pilgrims to move toward the Amarnath cave shrine from Pahalgam and Baltal base camps will be taken only after weather conditions improve in the Valley," he added.

The over 300-km highway was closed for vehicular traffic following massive landslides, triggered by incessant rains, at several places yesterday.