SRINAGAR: The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SABS) on Tuesday cancelled the annual Amarnath Yatra due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Board is headed by the Lieutenant-Governor of J&K, Girish Chandra Murmu, who took the decision at the 39th SABS meeting conducted through videoconference.

The SASB said in a statement that, "On the basis of the circumstances, the Board determined with a heavy heart that it was not advisable to conduct Shri Amarnathji Yatra this year and expressed its disappointment at the announcement of the cancellation of Yatra 2020."

The statement further added, “The Board is aware of and values the feelings of millions of devotees and continues the live broadcast / virtual darshan of the morning and evening Aarti to keep religious sentiments alive. The traditional practices shall be carried out in keeping with the custom of the past. Chhadi Mubarak is also facilitated by the government."

Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, SABS’s CEO Bipul Pathak, and other senior officers of the board attended the meeting and they also discussed the Supreme Court's order dated July 13 said that the decision to conduct the Yatra was left to the state administration after assessing the ground realities prevailing in Jammy and Kashmir in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Amarnath Yatra was cancelled in 2019 and this is the second time. The pilgrimage starts in mid-July and goes on till mid-August.