Jammu, Jul 02 (KNO): Amid multi-tier security cover, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday flagged off the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims numbering over 5,485, marking the beginning of this year's pilgrimage from here.
The Lieutenant Governor extended his best wishes to all the pilgrims for a safe and blissful journey. “This sacred pilgrimage is a journey of faith and self-discovery. Wishing all spiritual seekers a safe and comfortable journey to the holy abode of Lord Shiva and a deep soul-stirring experience,” the LG said.
The Lieutenant Governor said the administration, people of Jammu and Kashmir, SASB, J&K Police, and security forces have made elaborate arrangements for the pilgrims.
More than 4,500 devotees set off to the holy Cave Shrine in the first batch for the darshan of Baba Barfani. Jammu city has come alive with a new vibrancy. The enthusiasm of pilgrims is very high.
"Undeterred by terror incidents, devotees of Bhole Baba are arriving in huge numbers, demonstrating their immense faith. I hope that this year's Yatra will be even more historic than previous years,” LG Sinha said.
An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the Baltal axis convoy departed at 5:20 am, followed by the Pahalgam axis convoy at 06:04 am. “5,485 yatris in 299 vehicles, with 2,347 reached Baltal base camp and 3,138 to Nunwan base camp,” he sai, adding that 4,395 are males, 1,043 females, and 31 children, along with 16 sadhus.
The convoy includes 299 vehicles - 162 on the Baltal axis and 137 on the Pahalgam axis. The vehicle distribution includes 113 buses (48 via Baltal, 65 via Pahalgam), 42 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), and 144 light motor vehicles (LMVs),” he said.
A multi-layered security setup has been activated along the 38-day Amarnath Yatra route, ending August 09, 2025.
The official said that for the first time, facial recognition systems have been installed on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes. "RFID tags are mandatory for all vehicles and pilgrims, enabling real-time tracking," he said.
The Yatra route from both Pahalgam axis and Baltal axis has been declared a no-fly zone due to serious security concerns. CCTV surveillance, random vehicle checks, and a three-tier security grid are in place along highways and camps—(KNO)