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Security personnel conduct mock drill to review preparedness ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra 2025, on the outskirts of Srinagar. (PTI)
Registration for the Amaranth Yatra, which is taking place just months after the Pahalgam terror attack, has seen a dip so far this year, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Thursday.
This year’s numbers have been directly impacted by the April 22 attack, before which, the LG said, over 2.36 lakh yatris had registered for the yatra. So far, 85,000 have confirmed their registrations. This, he said, would mark a decline of 10.19 per cent in registrations from last year.
“This year, before April 22, registration numbers were significant. After the unfortunate incident of April 22, registration has seen a decline, but it is picking up again. We are reaching out to those who had registered before April 22, and this number will increase,” Sinha said.
The annual Amarnath Yatra is set to begin on July 3 and will continue till August 9. Last year, the yatra recorded the highest footfall in 12 years, with over five lakh devotees visiting the holy cave.
With security concerns high this year, Sinha said that the presence of J&K Police officers and the number of companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been increased.
“The J&K Police, Army and CAPFs have set up a foolproof security system, and there will be three-tier security on both routes to the Amarnath cave. Mock drills have also been completed,” he said. Sinha added that the security of tourist spots has been enhanced. “I say with responsibility that security measures have been taken with all possibilities in mind,” he said.
In his appeal to the devotees travelling to Kashmir for the yatra, Sinha emphasised that all devotees “must travel with the convoy, even those travelling in their private cars”, to ensure the security of all individuals.
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This year’s yatra will not include helicopter services as the area has been declared a no-fly zone. However, the LG said that only about 8 per cent of the yatris used the service, and it is unlikely to affect numbers significantly. The Amarnath Yatra has two main routes for pilgrims: the traditional Pahalgam route and the shorter Baltal route.
He said that the route to the cave that was earlier about five feet wide has now been widened to 12 feet, “and all vulnerable spots along the trek have been addressed”.
The annual yatra invites devotees from all parts of the country and runs for over 40 days. There have also been concerns about increased security measures causing traffic snarls along the highways. However, the LG said that adequate travel advisories for tourists and locals will be issued closer to the beginning of the yatra.
Additionally, with Muharram set to begin on June 27, Sinha added that processions in Srinagar “will use the same routes as last year”.
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