The Amarnath Yatra was suspended from Jammu on Saturday as authorities took precautionary measures following an adverse weather forecast and the possibility of heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the Jammu division.

No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to leave the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for the Kashmir Valley on Saturday. Officials said the situation would be reviewed depending on weather conditions.

Weather forecast prompts precautionary halt

The decision came after the Meteorological Department forecast heavy rain in the region. Authorities are also closely monitoring the condition of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which is the route used by pilgrims travelling from Jammu towards the yatra’s base camps.

Officials said the movement of pilgrims would depend on weather conditions and the status of the highway.

More than 4.75 lakh pilgrims had visited the holy cave shrine for darshan till Friday. The number of pilgrims arriving in Jammu for the pilgrimage has also declined.

Yatra continues from Baltal route

The annual Amarnath Yatra began on July 3 and is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.

At present, pilgrims are undertaking the yatra from the Baltal base camp in north Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. The route from the Nunwan base camp in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam is currently unavailable because track maintenance work is underway.

The latest suspension follows an earlier one-day halt on Thursday due to security arrangements on the seventh anniversary of the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.

On Thursday, a fresh batch of 1,801 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu for Baltal. The group included men, women, sadhus and sadhvis and travelled in 74 vehicles under security arrangements.

More than 4.71 lakh pilgrims had darshan

Since the start of this year’s pilgrimage, more than 4.71 lakh pilgrims had already visited the holy cave shrine, according to officials.

The Amarnath cave is located at an altitude of around 3,880 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas. The shrine houses an ice stalagmite formation that changes in size with the phases of the moon and is revered by devotees as a symbol associated with Lord Shiva.

Delhi and several parts of the National Capital Region are likely to remain under generally cloudy skies with intermittent rain spells through August 14, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The forecast comes after heavy rainfall caused widespread waterlogging and traffic disruptions across the region.

The IMD had issued a yellow alert for Delhi-NCR for August 8. The rain also brought down temperatures across the capital, with maximum temperatures remaining 3 to 7 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.

Delhi records heavy rainfall

All 11 administrative districts of Delhi recorded significant rainfall during the 24-hour period ending at 8:30 am on August 8.

South Delhi recorded some of the highest rainfall totals. The automatic weather station at the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University recorded 165 mm of rain, while the IGNOU campus station recorded 138 mm and Aya Nagar received 115 mm.

Palam recorded 104.6 mm, Najafgarh 103.5 mm and Janakpuri 102.5 mm during the same observation period. At Safdarjung Observatory, the official baseline station for New Delhi, 98.7 mm of rainfall was recorded.

The neighbouring NCR cities also received significant rainfall. Gurgaon recorded 96.5 mm, while Ghaziabad received 33 mm and Noida 28.5 mm during the same 24-hour period.

Temperatures fall as rain continues

The widespread rainfall brought a sharp drop in temperatures across the capital. Daytime maximum temperatures ranged between 26.5 degrees Celsius and 28.4 degrees Celsius, compared with a climatological norm of around 34.2 degrees Celsius for this period.

Minimum temperatures were recorded between 21.7 degrees Celsius and 25.9 degrees Celsius, also remaining below seasonal averages. Relative humidity reached 100% at several monitoring stations, while easterly winds of 20 to 25 km/h added to the cool and damp conditions.

Why is Delhi receiving so much rain?

According to the IMD’s analysis, multiple weather systems are contributing to the current rainfall over Delhi-NCR.

The monsoon trough is passing across North India, while the remnants of a weakened low-pressure system are associated with a cyclonic circulation over northeast Rajasthan and neighbouring areas. A mid-tropospheric western disturbance is also interacting with the monsoon flow.

Delhi-NCR rain forecast till August 14

The IMD expects generally cloudy conditions with intermittent rain spells across Delhi and adjoining NCR cities, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad, through August 14.

On Sunday, August 9, very light rain is possible from early morning to forenoon, with another light spell likely towards the evening. Temperatures are expected to rise slightly, with maximum temperatures between 33 and 35 degrees Celsius.

On Monday, August 10, the sky is expected to remain generally cloudy, with one or two spells of very light to light rain possible during the afternoon or evening.

On Tuesday, August 11, light rain is forecast from early morning to noon and again during the evening or night.

From Wednesday, August 12, to Friday, August 14, overcast conditions are expected to continue, with short spells of light rain possible between the forenoon and evening hours. Maximum temperatures are likely to remain between 32 and 35 degrees Celsius.

IMD issues waterlogging and travel advisory

The weather department has warned of localised waterlogging on major roads and low-lying underpasses, along with traffic congestion and reduced visibility during heavy downpours.

The IMD has advised commuters to check real-time traffic updates before travelling, follow directions issued by traffic authorities and avoid roads and underpasses that are prone to water accumulation during monsoon spells.

The Tamil Nadu government will bring a resolution in the state Assembly to formally oppose any move to begin a delimitation exercise in the state, following an all-party meeting of MPs with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The leaders who attended the meeting agreed to oppose any delimitation exercise and backed continuation of the existing status quo. They said Tamil Nadu could not afford a change in the number of seats for elected representatives for at least 40-50 years.

Congress MP Jothimani said her party would not support delimitation and described the meeting convened by Chief Minister Vijay as a positive step towards protecting the interests and rights of Tamil Nadu.

Ruling alliance seeks seat status quo

A total of 19 MPs from the ruling TVK alliance and friendly parties attended the meeting. They included MPs from the Congress, VCK, MDMK, IUML, CPI and CPI(M).

The meeting discussed the need to maintain the existing number of seats. The ruling alliance is expected to push for a permanent freeze on the number of seats at 543 in the Lok Sabha and 39 in Tamil Nadu.

One of the suggestions made during the meeting was for the Tamil Nadu Assembly to pass a resolution opposing any delimitation exercise.

The Congress also raised questions about why Tamil Nadu was opposing an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats and sought clarity on the details and implications of any proposed legislation.

Vijay spoke towards the end of the meeting for around six minutes. The participating leaders had earlier put forward their views on the issue.

DMK boycotts all-party meeting

The opposition DMK chose not to participate in the consultation. Its Deputy General Secretary Kanimozhi Karunanidhi questioned the government’s priorities and challenged Vijay to take action against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project.

Vijay is learnt to have expressed disappointment over the DMK’s absence. He said it was unfortunate that a party that had governed Tamil Nadu for six terms and whose founding leaders had made sacrifices for the state’s interests did not attend the meeting.

Kanimozhi also asked whether Vijay was prepared to send representatives of the Tamil Nadu government along with MPs from the state to meet the Union Jal Shakti Minister and personally submit the Assembly resolution opposing the Mekedatu project.

No Delimitation Bill announced yet

The Union government has so far neither announced plans to introduce a Delimitation Bill during the current Parliament session nor communicated any proposal to amend the existing law.

Kanimozhi said the DMK remained opposed to any delimitation exercise that could reduce Tamil Nadu’s representation in Parliament or adversely affect the state’s rights.

She also said the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IUML had participated in previous all-party meetings and opposed any delimitation formula that they considered detrimental to Tamil Nadu.

The latest meeting has therefore set the stage for Tamil Nadu to formally register its objection through an Assembly resolution, while the ruling alliance seeks to maintain the existing seat arrangement.