CHANDIGARH, INDIA, May 9, 2012 (Times of India): It has only been two days since registration forms for the Amarnath Yatra 2012 started being sold in the city at the Chandigarh branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Sector 17 and 1,240 out of a total 1,540 forms have already been sold in the first two days in nearly four hours. On the second day, Tuesday, many customers had to return empty-handed as the bank ran short of forms and the customers had to rush to the Panchkula and Mohali branches of the bank.
The Panchkula and Mohali branches have also received 2,310 forms each on Tuesday, which will be available till August 1. Both the routes – via Baltal and Chandanwari to Amarnath — will open from June 25. The devotees are allowed to select the date on first come first served basis. The Chandigarh branch of the bank has been authorized to give not more than 40 forms (20 each for both the routes) for a particular date whereas, Mohali and Panchkula branches can give 30 forms each (for each route) for one particular date.
Riyaz Ahmad Wani, branch head at Sector 17 said that there was a huge rush of devotees wanting to go for the Amarnath Yatra on day one. “It became difficult to handle the rush and we had to call the police,” he added.