Hours of wait in heat: Paperwork an uphill task for Amarnath pilgrims

Ludhiana: There is no dearth of city residents aspiring to undertake the Amarnath Yatra every year but getting the medical certificate is nearly as difficult as the pilgrimage itself. Before navigating the arduous mountain terrain, residents have to brave the heat and wait in long queues at the civil hospital for necessary documentation. A medical certificate is mandatory for those applying to undertake the Amarnath pilgrimage to ensure that they are physically fit for the challenging high-altitude trek.
However, residents feel that the process of getting the certificate is a challenge in itself. Ravi Kumar, a photographer from Hargovind Nagar, said that though he has been undertaking the Amarnath Yatra for 13 years, he has not seen any improvement over the years. According to him, the number of health officials catering to the devotees and issuing medical certificates is inadequate. Another applicant, Yogesh Kumar, who runs a Channa Bathura shop in Khud Mohalla, agreed. He said that he had to run from pillar to post to get a number for medical certificate issuance on April 17, after which he spent hours standing in queue.
Rakesh Kumar, another applicant, pitched in, saying that the process does not stop here as they would have to stand in queue at a bank to get a permit (token) for the yatra after producing the medical certificate.
Ram Kumar, 54, a dyeing master from Chander Nagar in Civil Lines, said that he had to come a second time in the last few days as one doctor was catering to a large number of people and his turn did not come.
Another applicant, asking not to be named, said that there should be a simple procedure under one roof for the entire process and more doctors should be deputed in view of the growing rush of applicants. He added that the doctor issues the certificate from 11am to 2pm but because of the rush, a few applicants do not get their turn despite waiting for hours.
Jatin Thappar, a businessman from Haibowal, said that adequate staff should be deployed to cater to the applicants. Meanwhile, civil hospital authorities claimed to have deputed adequate staff to issue the medical certificate to applicants.
Senior medical officer (SMO), Mother and Child Hospital (MCH), Dr Deepika Goyal, claimed that there are two doctors there and they have a team. She said that they had one doctor from the medicine department, who did OPD as well, while another doctor also catered to the devotees. The SMO said they had received a list and they (one to two doctors) had to do the same work exclusively.
However, TOI found only one health professional issuing certificates at the counter. When asked about the absence of a second doctor, the SMO said that the other doctor may have gone for some emergency work.
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