Jammu, Jun 27, 2025: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has made elaborate arrangements to accommodate over 50,000 pilgrims at various lodgement centres across the Jammu region for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, officials said on Friday.
The 38-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in the South Kashmir Himalayas is set to begin on July 3 via the twin routes — the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the shorter 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal. The first batch of pilgrims will depart from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on July 2.
Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar informed that a total of 106 lodgement centres have been established from Lakhanpur to Banihal to provide boarding and lodging facilities. “District administrations in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Udhampur, and Ramban, along with police wings, are coordinating these efforts,” he said.
Community kitchens supported by voluntary organisations have also been set up to serve meals to the pilgrims. Additionally, sanitation facilities, including toilets, have been arranged at all lodgement points. In Jammu city, accommodations are being provided with the assistance of social organisations.
The Yatra will be flagged off by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp amid tight security.
For pilgrim convenience, tatkal (on-the-spot) registration will be available at five centres, including the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. Registered pilgrims will be issued RFID cards, obtainable from entry points at Lakhanpur, Samba, Jammu, Chanderkote, and Banihal.
“Pilgrims traveling in private vehicles must join the convoy after completing necessary formalities. Even individual pilgrims must proceed under security cover,” Kumar said, emphasizing that all yatra-bound travelers must report to the Bhagwati Nagar base camp, from where secured convoys will depart daily.
He also confirmed that no rail transport will be used for this year’s Yatra. Control rooms have been set up to provide real-time updates in case of bad weather or highway closures.
Kumar further said that preparations are also in place for other regional religious events, including the Budha Amarnath Yatra in Poonch.
