New Delhi, Nov 22: The Supreme Court has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to pave the passage from Panchtarni to Amarnath holy cave with pre-fabricated cement tiles to ensure that pilgrims do not slip on the way.
The order is significant in this region where separatists have warned of an agitation if the government built a permanent road to the shrine, 3880m high in the Himalayas and one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
A bench of justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar also said that side support too be provided for the pilgrims, PTI reported.
“You have to put something so that people do not slip. Pre-fabricated cement tiles must be placed all through the passage from Panchtarni to cave,” the bench said.
It said some sort of iron chain or pillar be also put in place to give support to the pilgrims and to prevent them from falling into sideways abyss and ditches.
The court was hearing a case which it took suo motu cognizance of on media reports on pilgrims’ deaths allegedly due to lack of proper facilities and medical care for them.
The apex court had earlier appointed a high-power committee to look into the issue of growing number of casualties of Amarnath pilgrims.
The committee comprises secretaries of various departments including those from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, the Home Affairs, the Health and Child Welfare, besides the Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary.
The court had asked the committee to visit the shrine and give the report to J and K Governor who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), responsible for holding the Amarnath pilgrimage.
Around 6,21,145 pilgrims undertook the Amarnath Yatra this year which saw 93 casualties.
