SRINAGAR, INDIA, July 15, 2003: Poor planning and lack of proper regulation of pilgrim traffic to Amarnath has resulted in serious inconveniences to pilgrims. Traffic from Aishmuqum to Chandanwari is clogged for hours daily while pilgrims are forced to spend nights in adjoining jungles when the base camps of Nunwan, Chandanwari and Pahalgam fill up. Officials say that though the government had fixed the pilgrim quota at 100,120 this year, a large number of unregistered pilgrims arrived and this group is twice the number of registered pilgrims. The J-K government is required to permit 3,500 pilgrims daily — 2,700 from Pahalgam and 800 from Baltal. However, Anantnag deputy commissioner Shalendra Kumar said Pahalgam alone receives 8,000-9,000 pilgrims daily. Kumar said the carrying capacity of Pahalgam is not more than 2,500-3,000 and that he has written to the government to extend the yatra by 45 days in future.
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