J&K: Union Minister and L-G to inaugurate Baltal Yatri Niwas tomorrow

Srinagar, July 3 (IANS) Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and J&K Lt Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha will inaugurate Baltal Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management facility on July 4, which will cater to the needs of the Amarnath Yatra.

Three more such facilities are presently being built in Pahalgam, Bijbehara in the Valley and Sidhra in the Jammu division. This initiative is part of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) corporate social responsibility (CSR).

These projects not only cater to the annual Amarnath Yatra but also provide year-round benefits to local residents, including permanent healthcare facilities.

The Baltal Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Complex, spread across 6,315 square metres, is now fully operational and includes a Yatri Niwas, VIP guest house, security infrastructure, and disaster-response facilities.

Construction is progressing at Nunwan (8,500 sq. m) and Bijbehara (7,640 sq. m), with both sites expected to be completed by September 2025.

The Sidhra complex in Jammu, designed to serve as a vital hub for boarding, emergency management, and logistical coordination, is targeted for completion by September 2026.

In 2024, ONGC also constructed permanent 100-bed hospitals at Baltal (Ganderbal) and Chandanwari (Anantnag), in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

These facilities, which include ICUs and staff accommodations, replace the earlier temporary medical camps and now serve as year-round Primary Health Centres for yatris and residents.

The Yatra started on Thursday as hundreds of Yatris moved towards the holy cave shrine, both from central Kashmir, Baltal, and south Kashmir, Pahalgam base camps.

The 36-day Yatra will conclude on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals.

The Baltal trek from base camp to cave shrine is 14 km long, while the Pahalgam trek is 46 km long.

--IANS

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