Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), said on Sunday that this year's Amarnath Yatra saw a huge turnout of devotees. He appealed to the pilgrims without valid registration and those coming before their scheduled date to wait for their scheduled turn for security and proper management.
Manoj Sinha On the unregistered pilgrims, he said, "This year's annual Amarnath Yatra has started and I have seen the last four yatras very closely. There has been a huge increase in the number of devotees in these last years. A large number of people are coming without registration as well. The Jammu and Kashmir administration and the Shrine Board together have made better arrangements than before."
He said that I would request all the devotees who are not registered. He should wait for his turn, because as per the instructions of the Supreme Court, the number of devotees he can send from Chandanbari and Baltal is limited. It cannot be increased.
He said that first of all, I would request that everyone should follow the system that is being made, all the officers and employees of all the departments are engaged in serving the pilgrims and devotees with full dedication.
Explaining the healthcare facilities provided for the pilgrimage, the Lieutenant Governor said that a 100-bed hospital in Nunawan has been running for the last two years and is treating around 2,500 patients every day. He said that this facility is more suitable for use in difficult weather and ground conditions. Reflects the level of medical preparedness required for high altitude pilgrimage.
Later, in a post on Twitter, Sinha said he reviewed the entire management of the yatra with senior officials at the Nunawan base camp. He said that the review focused on the movement of pilgrims, security arrangements, accommodation, progress of registration and other logistical requirements necessary for carrying out the pilgrimage without any hassle.
His post said, Today, I visited Nunwan Base Camp in Pahalgam to review the management of Amarnath Yatra with senior officials. The discussions focused on specific aspects like movement of pilgrims, security measures, accommodation facilities, progress of registration and other logistical requirements required for carrying out the holy pilgrimage without any hassles.
Today, I visited the Nunwan Base Camp in Pahalgam to review the management of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra with senior officials. The discussions focused on key aspects including movement of pilgrims, security measures, accommodation facilities, registration progress, and other pic.twitter.com/x1pEqUJuO8
— Manoj Sinha (@manojsinha_) July 5, 2026
Sinha said that he has directed the officials to give utmost priority to the safety and convenience of the pilgrims. He also asked the administration to ensure that the devotees are clearly informed about the importance of traveling on the date mentioned in their registration permit, so that the waiting time at the base camp is reduced and the pressure on the facilities can be managed well.
He said that SASB and all departments associated with the yatra management are working round the clock to provide the devotees a safe and spiritually fulfilling journey to the holy cave temple. This new appeal comes a day after officials formally appealed to interested pilgrims to follow the registration dates and capacity restrictions.
Officials said that thousands of devotees are reaching Pahalgam and Baltal base camps every day without prior registration or before their scheduled time, putting excessive pressure on the holding areas, transport, accommodation and route-management system.
Sharing my remarks from today's visit to the Nunwan Base Camp and Chandanwari, where I reviewed the management and arrangements for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra. pic.twitter.com/XLZPBeX7Ak
— Manoj Sinha (@manojsinha_) July 5, 2026
This annual pilgrimage, which started from July 3, will continue for 57 days. Till now, about forty thousand devotees have visited the holy cave temple situated at an altitude of about 3,880 meters in the South Kashmir Himalayas. Devotees travel either through the traditional 48 km long Pahalgam route or the shorter but steeper 14 km long Baltal route.
The administration said that this pilgrimage takes place in difficult and high altitude areas and strict rules of security, environment and crowd management are applicable on it. It reiterated that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, a maximum daily limit has been fixed for the number of pilgrims visiting the Yatra routes, and no devotee will be allowed to exceed the sanctioned capacity.
Officials also cited lessons learned from the 1996 Yatra disaster, following which the Nitish Sengupta Commission had recommended regulating the movement of pilgrims and reducing the daily number in view of the difficult terrain and security concerns. He said the current system of registration and date-based scheduling is in place to prevent overcrowding and ensure better disaster preparedness.
To ensure a seamless Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, I reviewed the ground situation and pilgrim facilities at the Chandanwari camp today. Through seamless whole of government approach, we are leaving no stone unturned to provide excellent food and lodging to the devotees of Lord Shiva. pic.twitter.com/ZMIrTwlnlk
— Manoj Sinha (@manojsinha_) July 5, 2026
Much before the commencement of the Yatra, advance registration for the pilgrimage was started through designated bank branches and online platforms across the country. The administration said that most of the pilgrims have already used this facility, leaving very little chance for immediate or on-the-spot registration. A spokesperson of the Amarnath Yatra Administration said, pilgrims must ensure that they travel only on the date mentioned in their registration permit. It has been observed that many registered devotees are coming days before their scheduled date, in the hope that they will reach early.
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