Amarnath yatra pilgrims have to produce medical certificates at the time of registration from now onwards. The decision was taken by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board because of many Amarnath-bound pilgrims losing their lives due to health problems. The meeting of the board chaired by Governor N N Vohra was held in New Delhi on Friday evening in New Delhi.A large number of pilgrims have been losing their lives during the pilgrimage, particularly due to cardiac related ailments. The Board observed that time has come to consider a more effective approach and decide that every person seeking registration to undertake are medically fit and must furnish a health certificate issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner.This year, the yatra will be for 37 days beginning from June 25 and will conclude on August two coinciding with Raksha Bandhan as has been recommended by a sub-committee of the Board. The Board directed that the registration process should commence well ahead of the commencement of the Yatra.Referring to the helicopter services from Pahalgam to Panjtarni, which were started in 2009 on experimental basis, Chief Executive Officer the Board said fresh contractual arrangements for the helicopter services from Baltal and Pahalgam to Panjtarni are being worked out and the schedules and rates would be notified shortly.