The annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra will be suspended from August 9 on both the Chandanwari and Baltal routes to facilitate the repair and maintenance of the tracks, officials said.
The decision has been taken in view of the need to repair vulnerable stretches of the pilgrimage routes following recent rains and to ensure the safety and convenience of pilgrims.
The 57-day annual pilgrimage, which commenced on July 3 from the traditional Chandanwari route in Anantnag district and the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, is now nearing its formal conclusion.
More than 4.8 lakh pilgrims have so far performed darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine and paid obeisance to Baba Barfani.
Recent spells of heavy rain have affected some stretches of the tracks, necessitating repair and maintenance work. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been carrying out restoration and maintenance work on the affected stretches. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also forecast the possibility of adverse weather conditions in the coming days.
In view of these circumstances, the authorities have decided to suspend the pilgrimage on both routes from August 9, keeping the safety of devotees as the top priority. Officials said the decision was taken after assessing the condition of the tracks and the prevailing and forecast weather conditions.
However, the traditional religious rituals associated with the pilgrimage will continue. As per tradition, the Chhari Mubarak procession will proceed through the traditional Pahalgam route and reach the Holy Cave on August 28, marking the formal culmination of the 2026 Amarnath Yatra.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg said that more than 4.8 lakh pilgrims had so far performed darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine during the ongoing Yatra.
“More than 4.8 lakh pilgrims have performed darshan at the Holy Shrine so far. However, due to the recent rains, the need for repair and maintenance of the Yatra tracks at vulnerable stretches has been felt. The restoration work is being undertaken by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO),” Garg said.
He further said that the decision to suspend the pilgrimage had also been taken in view of the weather forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) for the next few days.
“Adverse weather conditions have been predicted by the IMD over the next few days. Hence, the Yatra shall remain suspended on both routes with effect from August 9, 2026,” the Divisional Commissioner said.
Garg added that the traditional Chhari Mubarak procession would proceed through the Pahalgam route and mark the formal culmination of the 2026 Amarnath Yatra on August 28.
Earlier, the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra remained suspended for six days from July 19 to 25 due to adverse weather conditions.
The yatra was resumed after weather conditions improved and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened following closure caused by landslides and shooting stones at several locations along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch.