Ganderbal, Jul 02: The first batch of pilgrims for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 reached the Baltal Base Camp in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district on Thursday, where they were accorded a grand welcome by the district administration, police, and residents ahead of the commencement of the pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine on Friday.
The yatris, arriving amid chants of “Bam Bam Bhole” and an atmosphere of devotion, were received by Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Transport, Information Technology, Youth Services & Sports, Science & Technology and ARI & Trainings, Satish Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal Jatin Kishore (IAS), Deputy Inspector General (Armed) Kashmir Maqsood-ul-Zaman, Senior Superintendent of Police Ganderbal Sudhanshu Dhama (IPS), Additional Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, CEO Sonamarg Development Authority, Camp Director Baltal Base Camp, senior police officers and officials from various departments.
The pilgrims are scheduled to be flagged off early Friday morning from the Baltal Base Camp towards the holy cave shrine for the darshan of Baba Barfani, marking the formal commencement of this year’s pilgrimage through the Baltal axis.
The Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 will be conducted from July 3 to August 28, spanning 57 days, through both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, and will conclude on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
Interacting with the pilgrims, the dignitaries extended their heartfelt greetings and wished them a safe, peaceful and spiritually enriching pilgrimage. They assured the devotees that elaborate security, traffic management and public facilitation arrangements have been put in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the yatra.
The District Administration and Ganderbal Police, in coordination with the Civil Administration, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), Health Department and other stakeholder agencies, have established dedicated help desks, assistance booths and “Helping Hand” teams to provide guidance, emergency assistance and round-the-clock support to the pilgrims.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jatin Kishore said comprehensive arrangements have been made at the Baltal Base Camp and along the yatra route, including 24×7 medical facilities, emergency response teams, sanitation and drinking water facilities, uninterrupted power supply, communication services, traffic regulation and robust security deployment.
The officials urged the yatris to strictly follow the advisories issued by the authorities, cooperate with security personnel and make use of the facilities established along the route for their safety and convenience.
Reaffirming its commitment, Ganderbal Police said every possible measure has been taken to ensure that the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 remains safe, secure, orderly and pilgrim-friendly, enabling devotees from across the country to undertake the sacred pilgrimage with comfort and peace of mind.
