Jammu, 9 August (H.S.): Shri Amarnath Barfani Langars Organisation (SABLO), has expressed its deep anguish and concern over the arbitrary and abrupt closure of the Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2025, nearly 10–11 days before the officially notified closing date of Shravan Purnima.
In a joint statement issued here, today by SABLO representatives including Vijay Thakur its Chairman, Rajan Gupta, president, H K Chugh, general secretary and Vijay Verma finance secretary said this action, repeated for the third/fourth consecutive year, has deeply hurt the sentiments of pilgrims and severely affected Bhandara organisations.
It said the abrupt closure is a disturbing post-2019 trend. Prior to 2019, such arbitrary stoppage of the Yatra was unheard of. The customary practice was to allow the Yatra till the notified last date, enabling full participation of devotees. However, from 2019 onwards, this new trend of pre-closure has emerged and persisted. This has led to growing resentment and erosion of faith among stakeholders, as year after year, legitimate expectations of devotees are being shattered, the statement added.
It also termed the excuses given by the authorities like bad weather, track damage, and security totally unconvincing. These excuses are not only repetitive but also lack authenticity or transparency. Even if tracks are damaged, it is unclear that how Sewadars and Bhandara materials are expected to return on the same damaged routes, how Chhari Mubarak, along with saints and officials, continues its journey through the same terrain and why motorable roads, JCBs, bulldozers, and vehicles are operational if the route is allegedly unsafe for pilgrims. Moreover, sometimes “security reasons” are cited which too is untenable, since security and paramilitary forces remain deployed, and there is no withdrawal of such forces during the final phase of the Yatra.
SABLO demanded transparency and advance notice. “If SASB is incapable of continuing the Yatra till the scheduled date, then it must reconsider the announced Yatra duration in advance. It should not register pilgrims or issue permissions for the last fortnight,. If closure becomes necessary, a clear, written, and reasoned notice be issued at least 15 days in advance, not 7 days,’’ it added.
SABLO also demanded a detailed written explanation for the premature stoppage of Yatra 2025, a transparent, verifiable system for citing and sharing weather/track/security reports publicly, a firm commitment by SASB to allow Yatra till Shravan Purnima, unless an unavoidable and exceptional emergency arises.
It also demanded that sufficient evidence of all these concerns should be placed in public domain. A financial compensation of minimum of Rs.10,000/- should be awarded to each and every registered pilgrims, deprived off having Darshan at the Holy Shrine due to closure of Yatra before the pre-announced dates.
Moreover a compensation of Rs.500000/- to each and every Bhandara Organisations and Rs.10000/- to other stakeholders like Ponnywallas, Palkiwallas, porters, camping agencies etc be paid.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar
