Srinagar, March 6 -- The 38-day annual pilgrimage to 3,880 metres high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir will commence on July 3, an official spokesperson said on Wednesday.

The decision to this effect was taken at the 48th board meeting of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) under the chairmanship of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan, he said.

"This year, the yatra will commence on July 3, simultaneously from both the routes - the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district, and it will culminate on August 9 on Raksha Bandhan," the spokesperson said.

He said the meeting was attended by members of the shrine board which proposed various measures and interventions to further improve the facilities...