Raipur. The wait for devotees of Baba Barfani is over. The first batch has departed for the Amarnath Yatra, which begins on July 3. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the pilgrimage.

The atmosphere at the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps was filled with devotion, with chants of "Bam Bam Bhole." This year, the pilgrimage will last 57 days and conclude on Raksha Bandhan, August 28th.

Pilgrims will travel the traditional 48-kilometer Pahalgam route and the challenging 14-kilometer Baltal route to visit Baba Barfani. The administration has made special arrangements for security and amenities this time.

The most significant change concerns the introduction of RFID cards. Each registered passenger will be issued this card, allowing the administration to continuously monitor their location throughout their journey. This is intended to strengthen security and ensure immediate assistance in case of an emergency.

The administration claims that this time preparations have been completed at every level to make the journey safer, more organised and convenient than before.