Amarnath Yatra registrations decline 10.19% after Pahalgam terror attack: J&K LG Manoj Sinha

Registrations for this year's Amarnath Yatra have seen a 10.19% drop compared to last year, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced on Thursday. The decline is directly attributed to the terror attack at Baisaran in Pahalgam on April 22, which tragically claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. Before this incident, approximately 2.36 lakh pilgrims had registered for the annual pilgrimage.

Sinha noted that while pilgrim registrations were progressing well initially, they significantly slowed down after the attack. However, he expressed optimism, stating that the measures undertaken by the Jammu and Kashmir administration and security forces have helped restore confidence among prospective pilgrims, leading to a recent resurgence in registrations. As part of this effort, those who registered before April 22 were asked to reconfirm their participation, with over 85,000 pilgrims already doing so.

The Lieutenant Governor further clarified that helicopter services for the Amarnath Yatra have been suspended this year. This decision was made after careful consideration of multiple factors, including recent helicopter accidents in other states and heightened security concerns. Sinha emphasized that the impact of this suspension is limited, as only about 8% of pilgrims typically utilized helicopter services for Darshan.

Despite the challenges, comprehensive three-layered security arrangements have been implemented at base camps for the pilgrimage, which is scheduled to commence on July 3 and conclude on August 9. Additional police and CAPF personnel have been deployed, and area domination exercises and mock drills are being conducted to manage any exigencies. Sinha urged pilgrims traveling in private vehicles to coordinate with the official convoy from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for enhanced safety. He also highlighted improvements to the yatra track, which has been widened and reinforced to ensure a smoother and safer passage for devotees.