Srinagar, Jul 12: The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 continued peacefully on Sunday with thousands of pilgrims making their way towards the holy cave shrine from both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes amid elaborate security arrangements, as over 10,500 pilgrims crossed the Domail Access Control Gate.
According to official figures, a total of 10,563 pilgrims crossed the Domail Access Control Gate en route to the cave shrine, including 8,637 male pilgrims, 1,615 female pilgrims, 86 children, 23 sadhus, 19 sadhvis, 4 transgender pilgrims, and 179 security force personnel.
Earlier in the day, the 11th batch of pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under tight security and moved towards the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam). A total of 9,153 yatris travelled towards the Kashmir Valley in 359 vehicles. Of these, 3,429 pilgrims travelled via the Baltal axis in 149 vehicles, while 5,724 pilgrims proceeded through the Pahalgam axis in 210 vehicles.
The Baltal-bound convoy comprised 2,250 male pilgrims, 1,051 women, 14 children, 92 sadhus, 21 sadhvis, and one sadhu child. The Pahalgam-bound convoy included 4,272 male pilgrims, 1,182 women, four children, 175 sadhus, and 91 sadhvis. No foreign pilgrims were reported in either convoy.
For the movement of pilgrims, authorities deployed 196 buses, 53 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 108 light motor vehicles (LMVs), and two two-wheelers, ensuring smooth transportation to the twin routes. The Baltal convoy departed at 2:44 AM, while the Pahalgam convoy left at 3:35 AM under multi-layered security cover. The convoys were escorted by personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF, supported by escort vehicles and ambulances.
With Sunday’s arrivals, the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 has crossed another significant milestone, as more than two lakh pilgrims have already paid obeisance at the holy Amarnath Cave Shrine since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage. Officials said comprehensive arrangements, including traffic regulation, medical facilities, security deployment, and emergency response teams, remain in place to facilitate the ongoing pilgrimage.
