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3 min readSrinagarJun 24, 2026 05:40 AM IST
Pilgrims trek to the Amarnath shrine. (Express photo by Anand Mohan J/File)
A multi-layered security apparatus, no-fly zones along the twin yatra routes, watch towers to keep vigil and real-time monitoring of vehicular movement — as the annual Amarnath Yatra is set to start next week, an unprecedented security grid has been put in place.
And for the first time, the Jammu and Kashmir Police issued “tamper-proof” QR-code-based identity cards to service providers, including pony riders, to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
While security agencies say there are no specific intelligence inputs about threats to pilgrims, a multi-layered security setup has been put in place as a precaution.
The government has declared the Amarnath Yatra route, from Jammu to the Himalayan shrine, from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes, a no-fly zone. This means that pilgrims, for the second straight year, won’t be able to avail of the helicopter services to reach the shrine.
Security officials said electronic surveillance, coupled with multi-tier security deployment, was necessitated after last year’s terror attack on tourists at the Baisaran valley in Pahalgam.
Security agencies will be monitoring, in real time, the movement of pilgrim convoys through a network of CCTV cameras set up across the twin routes. The government has also issued RFID tags for vehicles, pilgrims and service providers.
New ID cards
To prevent the militants from disguising themselves as service providers, police have added another layer of security by issuing QR-code-based identity cards to them. “The cards, when scanned, will provide complete information about the service provider,” said a police officer, adding, “This is essential to stop terrorists from disguising themselves as pony riders or other service providers.”
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Police have also set up high-rise watch towers and observation posts known as ‘Machan Morchas’ to keep a vigil at strategic locations along the route.
Over the last week, the J&K Police and other security agencies have been conducting mock drills and surveillance exercises to prepare personnel for emergency response in the case of an untoward incident.
Traffic restrictions
Police have also issued a travel plan on key routes. While pilgrims have been asked to strictly follow the route and timings, restrictions have also been put in place on civilian movement along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
The government has said that no civilian traffic would be allowed to leave for the Valley from Jammu before 11.30 am. Strict restrictions have also been put in place on civilian traffic coming from Jammu towards Srinagar, with no vehicle set to be allowed to cross the Banihal-Qazigund tunnel after 3 pm. Similar restrictions have been put in place on key routes in the Valley, too.
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Every year, lakhs of Amarnath pilgrims from across the country take the arduous journey to the Himalayan cave shrine during the summer. This year, the yatra will begin on July 3 and end on August 28.
The security of the yatra is considered one of the biggest security exercises in the Valley. With multi-agency involvement in the security of the yatra, DGP Nalin Prabhat has called for strengthening coordination and intelligence sharing among the different agencies to ensure safe and smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
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