Placing a strong emphasis on pilgrim safety and real-time weather monitoring, J&K chief secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) here, in which he ordered the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to roll out Doppler-based weather forecasting and real-time LED updates at base camps to keep pilgrims informed.
With an expected surge in devotees, Dulloo underscored a sharper focus on technology-driven safety and crowd management.
He stressed the need to prioritise smooth movement along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and the twin routes of Baltal and Chandanwari, directing agencies to scale up infrastructure, logistics, and security measures to ensure a safe and hassle-free pilgrimage experience.
The meeting was attended by senior officers from the civil administration and Police to review the comprehensive arrangements being made for the smooth, safe, and successful conduct of the 57-days long Shri Amarnathji Yatra (SANJY)-2026, scheduled to commence on 3 July.
Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Executive Officer, SASB, delivered a comprehensive presentation outlining key aspects of SANJY-2026. These included registration processes, service provider arrangements, establishment of Yatra camps, langar services, and provisioning of essential facilities.
It was informed that registration for the Yatra commenced on April 15, 2026, through both offline (bank branches) and online modes, with 19,402 pilgrims registering on the very first day. The Pratham Puja is scheduled to take place on June 29, 2026.
The Chief Secretary directed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to ensure timely snow clearance on all Yatra tracks by 15 May. He also emphasized the need for proper road maintenance, installation of signages and crash barriers, slope stabilization, bridge maintenance, and restoration of shelter sheds along the Yatra routes.
The Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R) was tasked with identifying and demarcating flood- and disaster-prone areas to prevent the installation of facilities in vulnerable zones. Additionally, it was directed to ensure early debris clearance of nullahs near the holy cave and operationalize the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Srinagar by 10 June.
The Labour Department and Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, in coordination with the concerned district administrations were instructed to ensure registration of all service providers and ponies in collaboration with district administrations of Anantnag and Ganderbal. Deputy Commissioners were directed to implement a digital prepaid system and notify standardized service rates for the convenience of pilgrims and service providers.
The Health Department was directed to operationalize 100-bedded hospitals at Chandanwari and Baltal by 20 June, and ensure deployment of sufficient medical and paramedical staff, along with critical care ambulances at all base camps and along both routes.
Telecom service providers have been directed to ensure robust mobile and internet connectivity along the Yatra routes by 15 May.