Pan-India telecom operator BSNL on Wednesday announced the launch of telecom services covering the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage, which will enable nearly 3 lakh devotees to stay connected with their loved ones back home. The Amarnath Yatra is organised every year by the Jammu & Kashmir government in the months of July and August.

"We have made BSNL GSM coverage available on the entire Amarnath Yatra route. Pilgrims may like to carry BSNL mobiles to avail uninterrupted coverage," state-run BSNL CMD R K Updhyaya said. Every year, around 3 lakh pilgrims visit Amarnath Yatra, for which the devotees have to trek to a height of 14,500 feet.

This year, over 2.25 lakh pilgrims have registered themselves for the Amarnath pilgrimage. As many as 2,25,076 lakh pilgrims have been registered at various counters and online centres across the country for Amarnath yatra.

Of the total 2.25 lakh registered pilgrims, 45,495 have registered themselves through the internet from various places across the country.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) began the registration process for the yatra, which will commence on June 29 and culminate on August 13, on May 10.