Jammu and Kashmir has been placed on high alert ahead of the flagging off of the first batch of Amarnath pilgrims from Jammu on July 2.
The annual pilgrimage will formally commence on July 3, with pilgrims proceeding to the holy cave shrine via the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.
A multi-layered security arrangement, including drones, CCTV surveillance and an integrated command centre, has been put in place to monitor and prevent any attempts to disrupt the pilgrimage.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, VK Birdi said foolproof security arrangements had been made for the safety of pilgrims.
“Mock drills have been conducted to ensure that all stakeholders are aware of their roles in case of any contingency," he said.
Birdi said the J&K Police had established a network of CCTV cameras along the yatra routes and other vulnerable locations. “The surveillance system has facial recognition capabilities that will alert security agencies if any suspicious individual is detected," he said.
Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg also reviewed arrangements at Srinagar International Airport to ensure smooth and hassle-free travel for pilgrims.
During the inspection, Garg reviewed facilities including dedicated e-KYC counters, the Yatra Facilitation Centre, reception areas and other passenger amenities.
He stressed the need for seamless coordination among departments and robust communication to ensure uninterrupted services.
The number of pilgrim facilitation counters in Kashmir has been increased from 54 in 2025 to 131 in 2026. These include 59 e-KYC counters, up from 21 last year, 32 RFID counters compared to 20 earlier, and 40 on-the-spot registration counters against 13 in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Police have issued an advisory restricting vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway during the movement of yatra convoys.
According to the advisory, from the night of July 1, no heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) will be allowed to travel from Qazigund towards Jammu or from Jakheni in Udhampur towards Srinagar after 7 pm. Light motor vehicles (LMVs) will be permitted till 11 pm.
On July 2, LMVs and private vehicles will be allowed to move from Nagrota towards Udhampur only after the tail of the yatra convoy crosses Jakheni. Similarly, traffic from Qazigund towards Jammu will resume after the Baltal convoy crosses Marog.
The advisory further stated that HMVs would be allowed on alternate days, subject to traffic assessment. However, no HMV will be permitted to move from either Qazigund or Jakheni after 7 pm.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said accommodation and security arrangements had been made for nearly 55,000 pilgrims.
He said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), will flag off the first convoy from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp at 4 am on July 2.
The J&K Police, Army and CRPF have been placed on high alert, while the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is under strict CRPF vigil.
