Amarnath Yatra Registrations Plunge 10.19% Following Pahalgam Terror Attack: J&K LG Manoj Sinha

Amarnath yatra is scheduled to organize yatra between July and 3 to August 9, 2025 in the state of Kashmir where three-tier security systems will be installed at all the bases and on the entire track of the yatra.

Addressing a press conference, Jammu and Kashmir LG VK Sinha said that “High-definition cameras are in place, and a modern command-and-control center is monitoring the Yatra 24/7. A separate police control room is also functioning continuously."

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The yatra will be the first big inflow of tourism to the area after April 22 when a terror attack had struck Pahalgam. Due to the attack, the tours to the valley have decreased significantly creating worries to the local economy.

The people around the Kashmir valley, including pony operators, and hotel proprietors form a huge percentage of the population that depends on tourism to earn a livelihood. The yatra takes place on the two roads 48-kilometre road through Pahalgam or 14-kilometre road through Baltal in the Ganderbal district.

Last year we had registered more than 13000 palkiwalas, pithuwalas, dandis and horses with the Labour Department through the Baltal Route to work in the pilgrimage. Reports show more than three lakh devotees are already registered into the event. Manoj Sinha, lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, on Thursday said the overall voter turnout has declined by 10.19 per cent than last year.

“Before April 22, 2,36,801 people had registered. After the incident, there was a slight drop, but as of yesterday, over 85,000 pilgrims have confirmed their Yatra,” LG Manoj Sinha said while addressing a press conference.

Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) decided to exclude helicopter services to the pilgrims this year; hence, there will be no helicopter services. This was after an injunction by the Jammu and Kashmir government which declared the Amarnath yatra routes, a no-fly zone between July 1 to August 10.

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Speaking at the press conference, LG Sinha added that RFID tracking of all pilgrims has been made compulsory so that there is real time tracking. Following eKYC, RFID cards are provided to all the pilgrims and service providers.

New security measures never witnessed such as close to 50,000 CRPF troopers, surveillance drones and bomb squads will also be used to protect the Amarnath yatris.

It is told that it is here Shiva divulged Heavenly secret of immortality to Goddess Pervati and therefore, it has been named as Amarnath. As no one was supposed to hear the “amar katha” Shiva and Parvati went to this cave. Shiva along the route has left his bull Nandi at Pahalgam, the moon at Chandanwari and his snakes at the banks of lake Sheshnag. Each of these points is the present day pit stops in Amarnath yatra. In the course of the legend, no one was supposed to listen to the story and yet two pigeons overheard the story and as a result they got eternal. Until now, it is regarded auspicious to see pigeons at the shrine.

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