In a historic feat, Border Roads Organization (BRO) personnel have made significant progress on the road widening project leading to the sacred Amarnath cave. The completion of this formidable task was recently announced by the BRO following the creation of history with first set of vehicles reaching the holy cave.
The project, known as “Project Beacon”, focuses on the restoration and improvement of the Amarnath Yatra tracks, an annual pilgrimage of immense significance for Hindus. The most recent accomplishment marked a monumental moment in the initiative, with the first set of vehicles successfully reaching the holy cave.Reportedly, a truck and a small pickup vehicle were used to transport essential materials from Dumail in the Ganderbal district to the Amarnath Cave via the Baltal base camp, one of the two routes leading to the cave. These vehicles were essential for ongoing work near the holy cave.
13 KM wide road to Amarnath cave
The accomplishment is notable because the task had to be completed swiftly, ahead of the approaching snowfall season. As of now, the road has been widened for nearly 13 kilometers, extending from the Sangam base to the cave, via the Baltal route. This development is expected to significantly reduce travel time for pilgrims visiting the Amarnath shrine.
Situated at an elevation of approximately 3,888 meters above sea level, the cave of Shri Amarnath Ji holds immense religious importance. Each year, thousands of devotees participate in the Amarnath Yatra, with over 4.5 lakh pilgrims offering prayers at the cave shrine this year.The Yatra proceeds concurrently from two routes: the Pahalgam track in the Anantnag district and the Baltal route in the Ganderbal district. Earlier this year, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced a significant development, stating that the 110 km-long Amarnath Marg leading to the holy cave in Pahalgam would be constructed at an approximate cost of Rs 5,300 crore to enhance the convenience of pilgrims visiting the Shri Amarnath Shrine.