Kashmir Impulse Desk

Jammu, July 5

More than 6700 yatris, including 87 foreign nationals, left Jammu for the Amarnath Cave shrine in south Kashmir on Sunday, as authorities renewed appeals for strict compliance with the registration schedule after on-the-spot registration quotas were exhausted until July 9.

The fourth batch of the annual yatra comprised 6721 yatris travelling under tight security in a convoy of 291 vehicles from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, officials said.

According to officials, the batch included 4576 men, 1310 women, 22 children, 572 sadhus, 154 sadhvis, and 87 foreign yatris, comprising 38 men and 49 women.

Of the total, 4131 yatris opted for the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, while 2590 chose the shorter but steeper Baltal route in Ganderbal district.

The convoy departed in the early hours under multi-layered security arrangements, with separate vehicle columns proceeding towards the two base camps before the yatris continue their trek to the 1730-feet-high Amarnath Cave shrine.

The latest movement comes amid an unusually heavy rush of devotees during this year’s yatra, prompting authorities to tighten crowd management measures and reiterate that only yatris holding valid registration permits for their allotted dates will be permitted to undertake the journey.

Officials said the daily quota for the yatra, fixed under Supreme Court guidelines to ensure safety and effective crowd management, cannot be exceeded despite increasing demand.

The Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, has urged devotees arriving without confirmed registration to remain patient and wait for their scheduled dates rather than travelling to the base camps in anticipation of obtaining last-minute permits.

Authorities said more than 12,000 tokens for on-the-spot registration had already been distributed by July 4, effectively exhausting the available quota through July 9.

Officials warned that opportunities for on-the-spot registration remain limited and advised intending yatris to complete the mandatory registration process in advance to avoid inconvenience.

The annual Amarnath Yatra, one of Hinduism’s largest yatras, is being conducted under an extensive security and logistical framework involving the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, police, Central Armed Police Forces, and other agencies.

The yatra has witnessed a significant increase in footfall this year, with authorities strengthening transport, medical, accommodation, and security arrangements while maintaining strict adherence to the daily yatri ceiling to ensure safe movement through the ecologically fragile Himalayan routes.