Jammu: The Amarnath Yatra will remain suspended on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes from Sunday, in view of recent rains, the need for repairs along vulnerable stretches of the pilgrimage tracks and the forecast of adverse weather conditions over the next few days, officials said on Saturday.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg said the decision was taken after taking into account the condition of the Yatra tracks and the latest weather forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
“Recent rains have necessitated repair and maintenance of the Yatra tracks at vulnerable stretches,” Garg said, adding that restoration work is being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Officials said no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to leave the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on Saturday as a precautionary measure amid rainfall and inclement weather in Ramban district and parts of Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the 28th batch comprising 1,202 pilgrims, who had completed darshan at the Holy Cave and were staying at Baltal, was allowed to proceed towards Jammu in a down convoy of 44 vehicles, according to the Joint Police Control Room, Baltal.
The returning pilgrims included 867 males, 251 females, one child, 79 sadhus and four sadhvis. The convoy comprised 28 heavy motor vehicles, one medium motor vehicle, 11 light motor vehicles and four trucks.
Despite the weather-related disruption, 3,336 pilgrims performed darshan at the Holy Cave on Saturday. The group included 2,384 males, 569 females, 21 children, 20 sadhus, six sadhvis, four transgender pilgrims and 332 security personnel.
With this, the total number of pilgrims who have paid obeisance at the Holy Cave during the 2026 Amarnath Yatra reached 4,80,019.
The 57-day pilgrimage commenced on July 3 from the traditional Chandanwari-Pahalgam and Baltal routes and is scheduled to culminate with the traditional Chadi Mubarak ceremony on August 28.
According to officials, the suspension has been ordered to facilitate necessary repair and maintenance of vulnerable portions of the pilgrimage tracks and in view of the adverse weather forecast.
“Due to the recent rains, a necessity for repair and maintenance of the Yatra tracks at vulnerable stretches has been felt, which is being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation,” an official spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the IMD had forecast adverse weather conditions over the coming days and, therefore, the Yatra would remain suspended from both routes with effect from August 9, 2026.
The Chadi Mubarak will proceed via the traditional Pahalgam route and mark the culmination of the Amarnath Yatra 2026 on August 28, the spokesperson said.
The suspension comes after a particularly busy pilgrimage season, with more than 4.8 lakh devotees having visited the Holy Cave so far.
Authorities have appealed to pilgrims to follow advisories issued by the administration and other competent agencies and cooperate with the authorities in the interest of their safety and the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.
Met predicts heavy showers till Aug 11
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir is likely to witness widespread rainfall and thunderstorms over the coming days, with the Meteorological (Met) Department warning of heavy to very heavy rain in a few districts of Jammu division from August 9 to 11.
Jammu recorded a maximum temperature of 30.5 degrees Celsius, 2.4 notches below normal, while the minimum settled at 23.6 degrees, 0.4 notches above normal.
The city received 4 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours, till Saturday 5.30 pm.
At Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, the maximum temperature was 27.2 degrees Celsius, 7.5 notches below normal, while the minimum settled near normal at 23.6 degrees Celsius. Katra received 7 mm of rainfall during the period.
Srinagar also witnessed pleasant weather with maximum touching 26.1 degrees Celsius, 3.8 degrees below the season’s average, while the minimum was near normal at 19.5 degrees Celsius. The city recorded 2.0 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours till 5.30 pm.
A meteorological department spokesperson said light to moderate rain and thundershowers are likely at many places between August 9 and 11, while heavy to very heavy rainfall is possible in a few districts of Jammu division.
The weather is likely to remain unsettled from August 12 to 17, with light rain and thundershowers at many places and brief intense showers at a few locations, the spokesman said.
The meteorological department has advised caution, warning that torrential rain and brief intense heavy showers could trigger flash floods and landslides at vulnerable places, besides causing waterlogging in low-lying areas.
