Amarnath Yatra pilgrims advised to travel from Jammu to Kashmir along with security convoys

After the Pahalgam attack, every Pilgrim coming for Amarnath Yatra is advised to take the journey from Jammu towards Kashmir along with the fully secured convoy of security forces. The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha Government on Thursday (June 26) issued an advisory for the Amarnath Yatri that they should take the Journey from Jammu's Bhagwati Nagar to Kashmir Valley's both base camps along with the security convoy.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the Jammu and Kashmir government for the first time issued an advisory asking all the Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims to take the journey from Jammu to Kashmir along with the security forces. The advisory is mostly for the Yatri's who take the journey privately. ''I request all the Pilgrims including those coming in private vehicles that when the Pilgrims leave along the convoy from Bhagwati Nagar Jammu, all should be leaving together. It will make it very easy for the Pilgrims as well as the security forces. It will save them a lot of time as well, '' said Manoj Sinha, LG Jammu and Kashmir.

The LG also said that there has been a decline in the number of registrations after the Pahalgam attack. If the numbers are compared to last year's registration, Over ten percent decline has been seen in the registration process after the Pahalgam attack.

''Before the Pahalgam attack, the registration was in full swing. But there has been a slight decline in the registrations after that. If we compare it to last year's registration, it came down by around 10.19 percent, but the registrations have increased again. We have already asked the people registered earlier for confirmation. Before April 22 around 2.36 lakh people had registered for the yatra, but we are getting a lot of queries so I am hopeful that a good number of people will turn up, '' said Manoj Sinha, LG Jammu and Kashmir.

The government has also announced that at Both Pahalgam and Baltal routes, there will be “No Flying Zones” from July 1 to August 10, 2025, except for authorized security or emergency aircraft. Anti-drone technology deployed to counter unauthorized aerial threats. Army and CRPF dominate high-altitude areas to prevent terrorist infiltration. Sanitization operations will be conducted daily on Yatra routes to neutralize potential threats. ''About the helicopter service, there have been many mishaps at various places and security is also a major reason and after many deliberations we have come to this decision. I think around 8 percent of people choose helicopter services for the yatra and it won't have much impact on the Yatra, '' said Manoj Sinha, LG Jammu and Kashmir.

Amarnath Yatra has been upgraded with all the Hi-Tech gadgetry and AI-based facial recognition systems this year. For the first time ever, the data of active terrorist and OGWs and other blacklisted peoples has been fed in the system. The moment anyone from the system walks in front of these FRS Cameras, it will start beeping.

Meanwhile, Every pilgrim will be given RFID tags for real-time pilgrim tracking which is mandatory for their movement. High-resolution CCTV cameras and drones are placed for continuous surveillance with control rooms at base camps. Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and bomb disposal squads are stationed at every strategic point. The Amarnath Yatra is starting from July 3.