57-Day Amarnath Yatra To Begin On July 3

srinagar : This year’s annual Amarnath Yatra will be spread over 57 days, starting from July 3 and ending on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima, which also coincides with the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Located at an altitude of about 13,000 feet (3,882 meters) in the lower Himalayas of south Kashmir, the pilgrimage to the revered cave temple of Lord Shiva remains one of the most important religious journeys in the country.

Announcing the programme, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stated that the yatra will start simultaneously from both the recognized routes – the traditional Pahalgam axis in Anantnag district and the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

Sinha, who also heads the Shri Amarnathji Temple Board of Directors (SASB), also informed through a post on ‘X’ that the Pratham Puja ceremony will be held on the occasion of Jyeshtha Purnima on June 29 and divine blessings will be sought before the official start of the pilgrimage.

Pre-registration for devotees will open from April 15 and will be possible in both online and offline modes. Offline registration facilities will be operational in 554 designated branches of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India and Yes Bank across the country. The management has strongly advised pilgrims to complete the registration process well in advance and strictly follow official recommendations to ensure a smooth and incident-free yatra.

As in previous years, given the physically demanding nature of the journey through steep and rugged terrain, pilgrims will be required to present mandatory health certificates upon registration. According to SASB sources, children under the age of 13, adults over the age of 70 and women who are more than six weeks pregnant are unlikely to be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage in accordance with established safety norms.

Mandatory use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards will continue this year to further increase security and monitoring. Each pilgrim will be issued an RFID card with radio frequency technology and linked to the registered devotee’s Aadhaar details. This system allows authorities to track movements along designated routes and quickly assist pilgrims who may lose their way or need urgent support during the walk.

In addition to registration and tracking measures, comprehensive security and logistics arrangements are also expected to be put in place both on the routes and at base camps. These typically include deployment of multi-layered security by the central armed forces and local police, 24-hour surveillance, regulated convoy movements from Jammu to the Kashmir Valley, and access control to sensitive points. Medical infrastructure, including temporary hospitals, oxygen cabins, ambulances and emergency response teams, is also expected to be strengthened, especially in high altitude areas. Improved accommodation, sanitation facilities, power supply, drinking water points, weather monitoring systems and disaster response preparedness are expected to form a significant part of the overall arrangements aimed at ensuring the safety, comfort and well-being of every pilgrim embarking on the pilgrimage.