Notwithstanding the barbaric Pahalgam terror, as many as 3,31,000 devotees, till date, have registered for this year's Shri Amarnath Yatra, which is commencing from July 3.
This information was shared by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), Mandeep Bhandri, during the 49th meeting of the Board at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired the 49th Board meeting of Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), which was attended by Members of the Shrine Board- Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj, Prof. Kailash Mehra Sadhu, K.K.Sharma, K.N.Rai, Mukesh Garg, Dr. Shailesh Raina, Dr. Simridhi Bindroo, Suresh Haware, and Prof. Vishwamurti Shastri.
This year, Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra will commence on 3rd July, simultaneously from both the routes – the Pahalgam track in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district, and it will culminate on 9th August, 2025, on Raksha Bandhan.
Registration that commenced on April 14, 2025, and can be completed online via the official Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) website or offline at over 540 authorized bank branches across India.
Yatra period will be shortened this year
The annual Amarnath Yatra will be held this year from July 3 to August 9, reducing its duration to 38 days from the 52 days observed in 2024.
The decision to shorten the pilgrimage period was made before the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and is unrelated to any immediate security threat. The period of this year's 38 days of Yatra was taken keeping in view the auspicious dates, including Raksha Bandhan.
Heightened security amid upcoming events
Earlier this week, Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat directed forces to deploy anti-sabotage teams along the yatra routes and strengthen risk mitigation strategies.
A police spokesperson said the DGP convened a joint meeting with officers from the police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to review preparations.
According to reports, a total of 581 companies from various CAPFs will be deployed to secure the Shri Amarnath Yatra 2025.
During the review, the DGP emphasised the strict enforcement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and called for proactive security measures to safeguard pilgrims. He also urged field officers to intensify efforts to dismantle terror networks in the region.
Board reviews the preparedness of Yatra
Meanwhile, the Board, which met under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, held a comprehensive review of the preparedness of all the line departments and proposed various measures and interventions to further improve the facilities for the devotees.
The meeting discussed the arrangements and requisite amenities at base camps and various locations enroute Yatra including Disaster preparedness and mitigation measures, dissemination of Yatra-related information, insurance cover to Yatris and service providers, upgradation of Yatra Tracks, provision for sanitation water, power, transportation, and medical & health care facilities, telecom connectivity, Weather Forecasting, Digital Pre-paid system for hiring services, fire & emergency services, and civil supplies.
The Lieutenant Governor took appraisal of the progress on various ongoing projects and directed ensuring completion of the identified works well in time for the convenience of the pilgrims.
"Safety and well-being of the Pilgrims is our topmost priority. We are committed to providing better facilities and amenities to ensure a hassle-free and spiritually enriching experience for all the pilgrims," the Lieutenant Governor said.
The meeting also discussed important matters pertaining to establishment of Yatri Niwas and Transit camps at various locations enroute, enhancement of lodgement capacity, expansion of Prasad Sale counters, operationalization of Yatri facilitation centres, online services by the Board, issuance of RFID cards, registration and verification of pilgrims and service providers, Langar and NGO Services.
