JAMMU, January 28, 2026 : In a major safety-focused initiative ahead of the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, disaster-prone and vulnerable stretches along the two pilgrimage routes in south Kashmir will be clearly identified and marked, officials said on Thursday.
The directions were issued by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo to the divisional administrations and Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag and Ganderbal during a high-level meeting in Jammu. The move aims to minimise risks to pilgrims by ensuring strict avoidance of high-risk zones.
The chief secretary directed that no utilities, tents, or temporary structures be installed in disaster-prone and vulnerable areas along the twin routes — the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
The annual yatra, held during July–August, attracts lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad to the holy cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
Chairing the 15th High-Level Committee meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) on Wednesday, Dulloo stressed the importance of advance planning and timely execution to ensure smooth conduct of Yatra-2026. He directed departments, including Tourism and Public Works Department (PWD), to complete all tendering, procurement, and contract-related formalities within the next one month.
“Early finalisation of works is critical to ensure seamless arrangements before the onset of the yatra,” he emphasised.
The chief secretary also instructed Deputy Commissioners to facilitate all service providers and ensure that facilities at every location are adequate, appropriate, and sufficient for pilgrims as well as service personnel. He underlined the need for strong inter-departmental coordination and optimal utilisation of the limited work window available before the yatra begins.
Health preparedness emerged as another key focus area during the meeting. Directions were issued to ensure adequate deployment of medical manpower, full functionality of base hospitals at Chandanwari and Baltal, and strengthening of medical facilities along the yatra route. The Health Department was asked to begin the process of engaging additional medical staff from outside the Union Territory, as per established practice.
The meeting also deliberated on strict enforcement of norms to ensure that only RFID-registered pilgrims with valid health certificates are allowed to undertake the pilgrimage.
Chief Executive Officer, SASB, Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, briefed the meeting on improvements made after the conclusion of last year’s yatra, ongoing projects, and works proposed to be completed before Yatra-2026. He highlighted BRO works for track upgradation, measures for uninterrupted power and water supply, disaster mitigation initiatives, prepaid hiring systems, camp holding capacities, and registration of labour and pony services.
Officials said the early and focused planning reflects the administration’s commitment to ensuring a safe, well-managed, and incident-free Amarnath Yatra-2026.
