Amarnath Yatra Pilgrimage Begins in Kashmir; Heavy Security Measures Implemented

The official start of the annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage in the Jammu and Kashmir region was announced with the arrival of approximately 12,000 pilgrims to the area. The first convoy set off from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu early Thursday morning, flagged off by Uttar Pradesh Governor Manoj Sinha. Accompanied by security forces, the pilgrims crossed the Jawahar Tunnel and reached the Qazigund crossing point in South Kashmir by noon. Comprising citizens arriving via air and rail transport from different regions, the convoy was enthusiastically welcomed by high-ranking security and civil officials of the region.

According to information provided by Kashmir Minister of Interior V K Birdi, the total number of pilgrims reaching the valleys has reached 12,000, and it is aimed for the visitation to proceed smoothly as planned. Early Friday morning, more than 4,000 pilgrims will set out to visit the holy ice stalagmite in the Amarnath Cave. The first group of the pilgrimage includes approximately 900 women, and 2,500 of these pilgrims will use the traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari route. The remaining pilgrims will prefer the shorter Sonamarg-Baltal route, which offers a return on the same day.

Pilgrims moving from Qazigund were directed to the base camps at Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal, where they completed their final preparations for the cave. Before the main visitation begins on Friday, a warm welcome was exhibited by residents and officials. The Pahalgam route is known as a challenging trek where pilgrims will walk for three days, using palanquins or horseback. This year, the pilgrimage is planned to last until August 28, continuing for a total of 57 days.

Under security measures, the most comprehensive security operation was launched this year following the terror incident in Baisaran Valley last year. The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) suspended helicopter services for the second consecutive year due to security reasons, declaring both routes as 'no-fly zones'. Advanced surveillance systems, including the 'Project Hawk Eye' conducted by the Anantnag police and drones, along with 416 facial recognition CCTV cameras, provide monitoring along the route.

Technological measures such as RFID tags for convoy tracking for pilgrims, tamper-proof QR-coded identity cards for service providers, and tracking devices installed on vehicles have been taken for the safety of the pilgrims. Approximately 700 units from the Army, J&K Police, and Central Armed Police Forces were deployed to the region. Additionally, first-row deployments were made by the VIKAS Unit on the Pahalgam line, and bomb disposal squads and medical units were kept on standby. Officials emphasized that they are making great efforts to ensure no disruption occurs for pilgrims despite all these measures and aim to complete the pilgrimage peacefully.