LG Manoj Sinha to flag off first Batch of Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims from Jammu tomorrow amid tight security
KINS Desk
Jammu, July 1 (KINS): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will flag off the first batch of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu to the twin base camps in Kashmir on Wednesday, marking the formal commencement of the annual pilgrimage under elaborate security arrangements.
The 38-day pilgrimage to the sacred 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir will officially begin on July 3 and conclude on August 9. Pilgrims will travel via two routes — the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam track in Anantnag and the shorter, 14-km but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
According to officials, over 3.31 lakh pilgrims have already registered for this year’s yatra. On-the-spot registration is also underway at Bhagwati Nagar, with nearly 4,000 tokens issued over the past two days.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar confirmed that LG Sinha will flag off the first convoy of pilgrims tomorrow morning. “The devotees will travel towards the twin base camps under multi-layered security cover, including traffic restrictions and area domination along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway,” he said.
Traffic advisories and route restrictions will be enforced from July 2 to August 9 to ensure smooth passage of yatra convoys. Cut-off timings have been fixed sector-wise and are being monitored through an extensive CCTV network, traffic officials said.
Over 3,500 pilgrims have already reached the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, which serves as the main base camp for yatris arriving from across the country. Security at the camp has been significantly intensified. The J&K Police’s Security Wing has taken charge inside the camp, while the CRPF is deployed in its surrounding areas.
Lieutenant Governor Sinha, who also serves as the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), recently reviewed yatra preparedness in a high-level meeting. Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo also inspected the base camp and confirmed that all logistics and security measures are firmly in place to ensure a safe and peaceful pilgrimage.
Jammu has been fortified with enhanced surveillance and a robust security grid, including drone monitoring and advanced surveillance systems, to safeguard the pilgrimage, which remains a significant religious and logistical undertaking each year.(KINS)
