Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday appealed to all intending pilgrims to undertake the Amarnath Yatra only after obtaining a valid registration permit for their allotted date.
Only registered yatris will be permitted to proceed to the holy cave shrine on their designated date, he added.
The appeal comes in the wake of an unusual rush of pilgrims arriving in J-K without valid registration.
The 57-day pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine began on July 3 simultaneously via the traditional 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in the Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in the Ganderbal district. The yatra will conclude on August 28.
In the first two days, over 26,000 pilgrims have undertaken the yatra.
The LG chaired a high-level review meeting here to assess the overall management and ground situation of the ongoing annual Amarnath Yatra that began on Friday.
“Reviewed the overall management and the ground situation of the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 at a high-level meeting today. I appeal to all intending pilgrims to undertake the Yatra only after obtaining a valid Yatra Registration Permit for their allotted date,” the LG said on X.
He said only registered pilgrims for their designated date will be permitted to proceed to the holy cave shrine.
An official spokesman said the LG reviewed the movement of pilgrims, traffic management, security arrangements, accommodation, registration status, and other logistical aspects to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the yatra, an official spokesperson said.
During the meeting, it was observed that an unusually large number of pilgrims have been arriving without valid registration, which is causing long waiting time for pilgrims to conduct yatra, he said.
The spokesperson added that the LG emphasised that the yatra is being conducted in accordance with the prescribed ceiling of pilgrim movement on the pilgrimage routes, in pursuance of the Supreme Court’s orders.
Therefore, adherence to the registration schedule is imperative for ensuring the safety, security, and convenience of all pilgrims.
It was reiterated that only pilgrims possessing valid registration for the designated date shall be permitted to proceed on the tracks leading to the holy cave shrine, the spokesperson said.
Sinha appealed to the intending unregistered pilgrims to defer their travel for next few days in order to avoid any inconvenience upon reaching Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
The spokesperson said the administration has, therefore, asked all intending pilgrims to complete the mandatory registration process and obtain a valid yatra registration permit for their allotted date before commencing their journey to J-K.
Pilgrims are requested not to travel without confirmed registration, as they will not be permitted to proceed on the yatra, he added.
LG Sinha also reviewed the security and logistic arrangements for the yatra.
He directed all departments and security agencies to keep working in close coordination and to maintain continuous liaison with all stakeholders, including langar organisations, service providers and other NGOs for a safe, seamless, spiritually enriching and fulfilling yatra.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference here, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg, said that for the past few days, many visitors and yatris have reached J-K without registration and because of that were facing some inconvenience.
Garg said the yatra was going on smoothly and in the first two days, 26,000 yatris have had darshan of the naturally formed ice-lingam in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
The divisional commissioner, however, said only registered pilgrims will be given the mandatory RFID cards and allowed to proceed for the yatra.
“Tatkal quota is limited and only a few pilgrims are allowed on that quota. Those yatris who have reached without registration need to wait for a few days as RFID card facility cannot be provided to them and so proceeding on yatra will not be allowed as of now. Only registered yatris will be allowed,” Garg, flanked by inspector general of police, Kashmir, V K Birdi, said.
He also said many pilgrims have reached J-K well before their registered date for undertaking the yatra.
“We appeal to them that they should undertake the yatra only on their registered date so that no one faces any inconvenience,” he said, adding the endeavour of the administration is to allow all the pilgrims for the yatra but they have to wait for their turn, and do online registration beforehand so that they do not face any inconvenience.
