NEW DELHI, July 18: The Jammu and Kashmir government has started constructing 30 to 35 rest sheds at Sheshnag, Panchtarni and Chandanwari on the Pahalgam-Amarnath route at a cost of over Rs one crore to provide shelter to Amarnath pilgrims.``Permanent rest sheds in a phased manner are being constructed and this year Rs 1.44 crore is being spent on the construction of sheds, which will accommodate 1200 pilgrims,'' the state government's affidavit in the High Court said. Besides, the state government has arranged for the accommodation of pilgrims in 500 tents in these three places. Each tent has a capacity of 10 persons each, the affidavit filed by counsel Ashok Mathur said.The government has also drawn up a contingency plan to provide accommodation to the pilgrims at Qazigund, Bijbehara, Khanbal and Pahalgam in case of emergency and also for providing medical facilities, electricity and water supply as well as cooked food to the persons stranded.
