JAMMU: This year, Amarnath Yatra will begin on June 23 and end on August 3.The dates were announced by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), headed by lieutenant-governor Girish Chandra Murmu , which held its board meeting at Raj Bhavan in Jammu on Friday.The date of commencement of Amarnath Yatra was based on recommendation of the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Committee set up to advise the board on the issue. “The board, keeping in view the safety and security of pilgrims, decided that a 42-day yatra would commence on June 23, 2020, the day of Jagannath Rath Yatra, and conclude on Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 3,” according to a statement issued by the board.Advance registration of pilgrims will start from April 1 this year. The registration can be done through 442 designated branches of Punjab National Bank , Jammu & Kashmir Bank and YES Bank, located across India.“Considering the success of pilot project on online registration of limited number of prospective pilgrims in 2019, the board decided to increase the quota of online registration,” the statement said.The prospective pilgrims were advised to secure prescribed compulsory health certificates issued by the doctors/ hospitals nominated by their home states or Union territories before opting for advance registration. The designated bank would issue the pilgrims a yatra permit valid for the specified date and route.No person below 13 years of age and above 75 years will be permitted to undertake the pilgrimage, the statement said and added that all information would be available on the board’s website. The yatra routes, via Pahalgam and Baltal, and all camps will be plastic free and single-use plastic is completely prohibited.All potential pilgrims were also cautioned to take into account the difficult climate and terrain in the high altitude region and prepare themselves fully before embarking on the pilgrimage.