Jammu: The annual Amarnath Yatra has registered a record footfall this year sofar, with over three lakh pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine in just 12 days since its commencement, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Tuesday.
In a post on X, LG Sinha termed the achievement “historic” and credited the seamless conduct of the pilgrimage to the coordinated efforts of the administration, security forces, and volunteer organisations.
“Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has set a historic new record, crossing the 3 lakh mark in just 12 days. I commend all the officials, service providers and volunteers. Their dedication and hard work have made this holy pilgrimage smooth and memorable for every devotee of Baba Barfani,” the Lt Governor said.
LG Sinha, who also serves as the chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, has been reviewing the arrangements periodically. He recently visited the Baltal base camp to inspect the facilities and interact with the service providers.
The Lt Governor added with a message with the devotional slogan, “Har Har Mahadev!”
The 52-day annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in south Kashmir commenced on July 3 from the twin base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal in Ganderbal.
Official sources told KNS that over 2.5 lakh pilgrims had already performed darshan by Sunday, with the numbers crossing the 3-lakh mark by Tuesday. The previous year’s figures had seen similar footfall only after three weeks of the yatra.
The shrine board has made elaborate arrangements this year, including additional langar facilities, upgraded medical units, and increased capacity at transit camps along both routes. Security has also been tightened with multi-tier deployment along the National Highway and the mountain tracks.
The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 19, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan.