Srinagar, July 2: The first batch of 4,822 devotees departed from the Jammu base camp on Thursday morning to begin the annual 2026 Amarnath Yatra, following an official flag-off by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The departure formally sets the 57-day Himalayan pilgrimage into motion, with hundreds of thousands of citizens from across the nation expected to journey to the cave shrine of Baba Barfani over the coming weeks. To ensure a safe and organized transit, authorities scheduled separate early-morning departures for the two distinct travel groups moving toward the Kashmir Valley.
The initial group heading through the shorter Baltal axis left the camp at 6:10 am, while the second fleet designated for the traditional Pahalgam route commenced its journey shortly after at 6:35 am. This first batch includes men, women, children, sadhus, and sadhvis.
“Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra is a sacred path where devotion meets spiritual awakening. I wish all devotees a safe, comfortable, blissful and spiritually fulfilling journey. May this pilgrimage bring immense joy and divine peace to all,” Lieutenant Governor Sinha declared during the departure ceremony. He affirmed that the administration is fully dedicated to managing comprehensive logistical support for all incoming travelers.
The vehicular fleet consists of 259 registered vehicles, which include commercial buses, medium motor vehicles, light motor vehicles, and two-wheelers. Official tracking data indicates that 2,312 pilgrims are traveling via the Baltal axis, while 2,510 devotees have opted for the Pahalgam route.
To safeguard the extensive pilgrimage routes, the Ministry of Home Affairs has established a robust multi-layered security framework across the region. Law enforcement officials stated that nearly 650 companies of paramilitary forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force and the Central Industrial Security Force, have been deployed to maintain order. Senior administrative representatives maintained that all essential safety and sanitation arrangements are securely in place to support an incident-free pilgrimage.
