The Amarnath Yatra ha been suspended from Jammu on Thursday (July 17, 2025) following a heavy rain alert issued for several parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley has been experiencing continuous rainfall for the past 36 hours, prompting authorities to take precautionary measures.
As a result, no fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to proceed from Jammu towards the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps today.
“The yatra has been suspended for today. No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move from Jammu towards the twin base camps of the holy cave shrine this morning,” an official told PTI.
Landslide Casualty on Baltal Route
This suspension comes a day after a landslide along the Baltal route in Ganderbal district claimed one life and injured three pilgrims, further reinforcing concerns about safety amid inclement weather.
According to officials, the suspension follows a two-day weather advisory warning of heavy rainfall in various parts of the Union Territory, including the pilgrimage routes.
“Shri Amarnathji Yatra has been suspended for 17.07.2025 from both Pahalgam and Baltal base camps. Continuous heavy rains over the last two days have necessitated restoration work to be carried out on tracks along both routes,” said Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri.
Panchtarni Camp Yatris Allowed to Proceed
Bidhuri added that pilgrims who spent the night at the Panchtarni camp are being allowed to descend towards Baltal, accompanied by teams from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and Mountain Rescue Teams. The BRO has deployed personnel and machinery on both routes to restore the tracks and enable early resumption of the yatra.
This marks the first time this year that the yatra has been suspended from Jammu.
Yatra Statistics So Far
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Over 2.35 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine since the yatra began on July 3.
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A total of 1,01,553 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch.
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Over 4 lakh people have registered online for the 2025 pilgrimage.
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Last year, more than 5.10 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrine, known for the naturally formed ice lingam.
The 38-day-long yatra will conclude on August 9.
