Advance booking for Amarnath Yatra helicopter services opens

Jammu: The advance online booking for the helicopter services during this year's Amarnath Yatra began today.

The Yatra will start on July 2 and conclude on August 18.

This year's helicopter services will be provided by Pawan Hans Limited (PHL) and Global Vectra Helicorp Limited (GVHL) on Neelgrath-Panjtarni-Neelgrath sector and Himalayan Heli Services Private Limited (HHSPL) on Pahalgam-Panjtarni-Pahalgam sector, an official spokesman said.

"The guidelines for booking the heli tickets are available on the shrine's board website. Links of heli operators websites for ticket booking are also available on the same website,"the spokesman said.

The one-way heli fare from Neelgrath-Panjtarni-Neelgrath sector has been fixed at Rs 2,000 and from Pahalgam-Panjtarni-Pahalgam sector at Rs 4,300 inclusive of service tax of 12.6 per cent, he said.

The devotees, who travel by helicopters to Panjtarni, will not be required to secure Yatra permits but they will be required to produce compulsory health certificates duly issued by authorized doctors and?institutes at the time of boarding the helicopter at Neelgrath, Pahalgam, he said.

No person will be allowed to board the helicopter without first submitting the compulsory health certificate, he added.

Children below 13 years of age, elderly persons above the age of 75 years and ladies who are more than six-week pregnant will not be permitted to undertake the pilgrimage.