10% dip in registration, one-third confirm travel plan post Pahalgam attack: J&K LG

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Since the Pahalgam attack, there has been a 10.19% decline in the registration of pilgrims for Amarnath Yatra with only one-third confirming their travel plan so far, J&K lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha said on Thursday. He also said that a comprehensive and robust security plan was in place with additional security personnel on ground for the pilgrimage. Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Thursday. (ANI)
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, he said 2.36 lakh registrations were there till April 22. 'As many as 85,000 of them have confirmed their registration. This number is increasing. We are hoping that the registrations will pick up in the coming days. Last year, 2.12 lakh pilgrims, the highest number in 12 years, turned up. This year too a large number of registrations took place before April 22, but the registrations declined 10.19% after the Pahalgam attack.'
The LG said the Pahalgam attack had an impact on J&K, particularly in Kashmir. 'The confidence (among people) is now increasing owing to the security measures. With the success of this yatra, the confidence will get a further boost, and tourism, business and economy will improve,' he said.
Sinha said that the police, the army and the CAPF chalked out a robust arrangement for the annual pilgrimage that would commence on July 3 and end on August 9 (Raksha Bandhan). 'Aerial domination, three-tier security in base camps and deployments have been ensured. All security agencies, be it J&K police or CAPF companies, are more in number. Mock drills have been completed,' he said.
Sinha said the security of tourist spots and the pilgrimage routes have also been increased. 'That is why we have opened some of the tourist places in a phased manner. Other places will also be opened phase-wise,' he said.
Sinha also said that the pilgrims would travel in convoys right from Jammu while verifications of people associated with yatra have also been done. 'The convoy squad will start right from Lakhanpur. The yatra will start from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu,' he said.
He appealed to the pilgrims to travel with convoys only. 'We are making such arrangements that all arrive with a convoy so that they reach safely and easily. Those coming in private vehicles are also welcome but I appeal to them to move with convoys only,' he said.
Owing to different reasons, the heli services have been closed this year. ' Security was also a reason (for no heli services). Around 8% pilgrims use the services of helicopters so it won't have any major impact on the Yatra,' he said.
He said that an RFID-based tracking system was already introduced. 'All pilgrims and service providers are provided cards. For live feed, high quality cameras have been established and integrated command and control centres are functional — one in Raj Bhawan and another with police,' he said.
The April 22 attack had left 25 tourists and a local man dead in Baisaran, Pahalgam, that forced India to launch Operation Sindoor on May 7, resulting in India targeting Pakistan's terror camps and later exchange of drone and missile strikes by the two nations.
On June 22, the National Investigation Agency had arrested two people from south Kashmir who allegedly provided shelter to the Pakistani terrorists who carried out the attack. The accused said that the attackers were three Pakistani men affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Pahalgam is one of the two main base camps and routes of the Amarnath Yatra from where pilgrims trek 36-km to the mountainous paths. From central Kashmir's Baltal side, the Yatra route is shorter but steeper with yatris having to trek just 14 km.
Muharram procession from traditional routes
Shia Muslims will be allowed to take out Muharram-8 procession from its traditional route in Srinagar like it has been allowed for the past two years, J&K LG Manoj Sinha said on Thursday. Sinha said that there would be no change in the route of Muharram procession from last year's. The LG led government had allowed the Muharram-8 procession in 2023 and 2024 from its traditional route in Srinagar after 34 years.
The mourners, commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS), would march from Guru Bazar through MA Road. The march would culminate at Dalgate. The procession was banned during militancy from the early 1990s owing to law and order issues.