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The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to Amarnath Shrine Board, Centre, and others on a petition seeking directions to make available all the tickets for helicopter service from Jammu/Srinagar to Amarnath Shrine through the online booking system only, from this year itself, reports ANI.

A division bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta asked the Shrine Board to file an affidavit in this regard while issuing notice to the respondents.

The plea further sought direction to adopt online booking and sale of all tickets for helicopter services from Jammu and Srinagar (which primarily is for old, ailing, and disabled pilgrims) for the Amarnath Yatra. The plea alleged that the earlier system resulted in hoarding and black marketing of tickets leading to the misery for thousands of genuine and needy yatris (pilgrims) which is arbitrary, discriminatory, irrational, unwarranted and unjust and against the public interest.

The counsel appearing for the Shrine Board informed the court that all services are presently available on its website but due to some technical glitch, it will be functional in some days.

The counsel appearing for the petitioner, the Indian Council of Legal Aid and Advice, stated that it is the priority of the Centre that the pilgrims coming for the Amarnath Yatra should have hassle-free Darshan and should not face any problems.

Plea filed by Advocate Avadh Kaushik stated that surprisingly, the problem of not being able to obtain helicopter tickets for Amarnath Yatra, by old, ailing and disabled pilgrims on account of the black marketing of tickets by the authorized agents in collusion with the local hoteliers already stands highlighted/exposed by the local newspapers and a representation has also been made by a public representative on April 11, 2022.

Plea further stated, "Due to the inherent loopholes and weakness of this faulty scheme and the big scope of misuse, it soon turned into a black marketing racket which was noticed and highlighted by the various online news sites and certain guilty travel agents indulging in malpractices against public interest were caught and charge-sheeted by the police."

The court has fixed the matter on May 31, 2022, for further hearing.