Chaos outside banks in Punjab as Amarnath Yatra registration begins

Chandigarh: Confusion and long queues marked the beginning of Amarnath Yatra registration in Patiala on Monday, as pilgrims rushed to submit their forms at designated bank branches.

The registration, which began on April 14, can be done online or at branches of the State Bank of India (SBI). However, a large crowd gathered outside one SBI branch in Patiala today, with some devotees claiming they had been waiting since 6 am. Many expressed frustration over website glitches and recent bank holidays, which they said were hampering the registration process.

Pilgrims like Sanjay and Tirloki from Jhurian Bhatian said the limited number of daily registrations was adding to the chaos. “Each bank is allowed to register only 30 forms per day. What about the more than 100 people standing in the queue? The government should respect the sentiments of the people and streamline the process,” they said.

Meanwhile, long queues of women were also seen outside bank counters and government hospitals, where pilgrims are required to obtain a mandatory medical fitness certificate before registration.

The annual Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin on July 3 and conclude on August 9. Pilgrims can register to undertake the journey via two routes — the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district or the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.