The annual 38-day Amarnath Yatra is set to begin on July 3. Pilgrims will have two routes to the 3,880-meter-high holy cave shrine: the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter, steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The first group of pilgrims will depart for Kashmir from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on July 2.
Jammu and Kashmir Police are implementing enhanced multi-tier security measures to ensure a safe and successful pilgrimage. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, stated that security arrangements this year will be even better than previous years, with increased paramilitary forces, deployment in sensitive areas, and extensive CCTV surveillance.
Over 180 companies of paramilitary forces, in addition to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, have been deployed for the yatra. Security forces are stationed along the Jammu Kashmir National Highway from Lakhanpur to Banihal, with road opening parties (ROPs) now in place even from Lakhanpur to Jammu, a new addition this year. Langars (community kitchens) and lodging centers will also have security.
Beginning July 2, the traffic police will issue daily advisories, including fixed cut-off timings at all points related to yatra movement. Pilgrims are strongly advised to follow these advisories. To ensure safety, all pilgrims are encouraged to join the main convoy departing between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., as traveling individually is not recommended.
