Amarnath yatra sees uptick in pilgrims, unregistered devotees leave Board worried
A record upward trend of pilgrims paying obeisance was registered on Sunday (July 5, 2026) at the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir. However, the Shri
A record upward trend of pilgrims paying obeisance was registered on Sunday (July 5, 2026) at the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir. However, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) is worried about the inflow of unregistered pilgrims posing a security as well as infrastructure challenge. A total of 32,313 devotees performed pilgrimage at the cave shrine located at an altitude of 12,756 feet. A record number of 20,145 pilgrims performed on the second day of the yatra, which is the highest for the past several years. Over 8000 left Jammu on Sunday for Kashmir to join pilgrims already stationed at twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan, official data suggested. The shrine board, however, is left worried by unregistered pilgrims. Most pilgrims are turning up without mandatory health checks, which determines if a pilgrim is fit to trek the high altitude.
“We are seeing a large influx of unregistered pilgrims. I strongly urge those without prior registration to remain patient and wait for their turn. This cooperation is essential for a smooth and seamless Yatra experience,” said Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the chairman of the board. Massive surge in pilgrims He said compared to the past four years there has been a massive surge in pilgrim numbers this year. “In response, the Board, and all key stakeholders have stepped up, implementing significantly better arrangements than in previous years,” Mr. Sinha added. The Board has put a cap on the number of pilgrims who could visit the shrine in a day, which is 10,000 each for the Pahalgam route and the Baltal route.
“Daily pilgrim caps at both Chandanwari (in Anantnag district) and Baltal (in Ganderbal district) are strictly fixed and cannot be increased. Adhering to these established protocols is vital for everyone’s safety and hassle-free pilgrimage,” said Mr. Sinha, who visited the yatra routes on Sunday (July 5, 2026). Straining yatra infrastructure Official sources said the unregistered pilgrims were straining the yatra infrastructure and also compromising with security. At least 2,500 patients are visiting the specially set-up Outpatient Department (OPD) per day. Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg asked pilgrims to embark on pilgrimage “only as per registered date of pilgrimage”. “Unregistered yatris should not proceed towards the base camps till their registration is completed and radio frequency identification (RFID) card is generated,” said Mr. Garg.
The BriefWire