Jammu, July 23: Fresh batch of 2837 pilgrims Wednesday departed for holy Shri Amarnath shrine in South Kashmir from Jammu for undertaking annual pilgrimage in layered security.
This was 21st batch of pilgrims who embarked on Yatra from Yatri Niwas – Jammu based camp at Bhagwati Nagar. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from Bhagwati Nagar base camp on July 2.
Though the annual pilgrimage has already crossed its three-lakh mark on July 20 yet the number of pilgrims embarking on Yatra from Jammu has dwindled in the past couple of days.
As per officials, 2286 males, 461 females, 8 children, 80 Sadhus and 2 Sadhvis left from Jammu base camp in 118 vehicles, including 63 buses and 32 Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) for twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal.
1801 pilgrims, comprising 1567 males, 150 females, 2 children, 80 Sadhus and 2 Sadhvis left for the Pahalgam axis at 3.58 am in a convoy of 69 vehicles, including 44 buses and 11 LMVs.
1036 Yatris, including 719 males, 311 females and 6 children chose the Baltal axis for Yatra. They left in a cavalcade of 49 vehicles, including 19 buses and 21 LMVs at 3.25 am.
Yatra, which formally commenced on July 3, 2025 from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes, crossed its two lakh mark on July 13, 2025 within eleven days of its commencement.
On July 8, Yatra, within six days of its commencement, had crossed one lakh mark. The pilgrimage, which crossed its three-lakh mark in 18 days, would culminate on August 9, 2025.