In anticipation of the Amarnath pilgrimage that begins on July 3, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday announced a strict daily time limit for tourists visiting Gulmarg in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
An official advisory urged visitors not to travel between Srinagar and Gulmarg beyond 5pm. Officials said that these restrictions are necessary to ensure the safe and seamless movement of Amarnath Yatra convoys and to facilitate effective traffic management during the 52-day pilgrimage period that concludes on August 28.
“No tourist vehicle shall be permitted to proceed from Gulmarg towards Srinagar and vice-versa after 5pm,” an official of the Baramulla police said in a statement. “All tourists are advised to plan their travel in advance and complete their journeys within the prescribed timings,” the official said.
Every year, hundreds of Hindu devotees from across the country trek to the Amarnath cave shrine, situated at an altitude of 3,880 metres in the Himalayas, navigating mountain routes, glaciers, and ice-fed streams. Pahalgam serves as the main base camp for the route through south Kashmir, while Baltal is the secondary base camp through central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
Thousands of security personnel from the police, CRPF, ITBP, and the army have been deployed to secure the pilgrimage across multiple fronts, while the civil administration is working to guarantee foolproof logistics.
