Amarnath Yatra 2026: First Yatra Convoy Leaves Jammu as 57-Day Pilgrimage Begins on July 3

The first batch of Amarnath pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Thursday, setting in motion the annual pilgrimage that formally begins on Friday from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal in Kashmir, amid an extensive security and disaster-response apparatus.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the convoy on Thursday morning. The pilgrims will halt at transit camps before beginning the trek to the 3,880-metre cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas on Friday.

Officials said nearly four lakh devotees have registered for this year’s 57-day pilgrimage, and the administration expects strong participation through the yatra period.

Authorities have made weather preparedness central to this year’s arrangements alongside security. According to officials, the India Meteorological Department will issue forecasts every three hours, with updates displayed at the Baltal and Nunwan base camps.

Rain shelters have reportedly been erected along both routes, while SDRF, NDRF and CRPF mountain rescue teams equipped with oxygen cylinders, stretchers and emergency equipment have been deployed at vulnerable stretches, officials said.

Multi-layered security cordon in place

Security agencies have put in place a multi-layered cordon around the pilgrimage following weeks of anti-terror mock drills across Jammu and Kashmir. The convoy is moving through a dedicated security corridor on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, with surveillance stepped up at transit camps.

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Authorities have also activated a round-the-clock Command and Control Centre in Srinagar to monitor the yatra in real time. RFID-based tracking has reportedly been introduced at Srinagar airport, Nowgam railway station, and the Baltal, Nunwan and Pantha Chowk camps to facilitate pilgrim movement.

In a first, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has centralised all official communication on the pilgrimage, authorising only the Divisional Commissioners and Inspectors General of Police of the Jammu and Kashmir divisions to brief the media — a move officials said is aimed at preventing misinformation. The pilgrimage will conclude on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.