This year there will be no helicopter service for Amarnath pilgrims on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes, on Wednesday, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) announced.
The decision was taken by SASB after an order by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday, in which all the routes of Amarnath Shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas were declared as a no-flying zone.
The announcement of ban on all aviation platforms including drones and balloons during the union period was taken by the state government on the advice of the Union Home Ministry.
“The competent authority has declared all the routes of the Sri Amarnathji Yatra – which includes both Pahgam and Baltal Axis as a ‘no flying zone’ from July 1 to August 10. As a result, helicopter services for pilgrim travel will not be available in the traveling area …” Read SASB notice.
Yatris should reach the holy cave pilgrimage site using both Pahalgam in South Kashmir and the Baltal route of North Kashmir or using Ponies and Pokis (Palakin).
Travel routes declared as flying areas include Lakhanpur-Jammu-Jammu-Qazigund-Srinagar-Sonmarg and Lakhanpur-Jammu-Kaujigund-Pahalgam.
This year the annual journey for Amarnath Shrine starts from July 3. Millions of pilgrims across the country go to the pilgrimage site in the South Kashmir Himalayas every year, for which the Jammu and Kashmir government conducts the biggest security exercise.
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Administration and SASB also practice a massive practice to arrange and arrange boarding and housing of pilgrims, healthcare, transport and other arrangements during the travel period.
This is the first visit to Pahgam on 22 April after the terrorist attack in which 25 tourists and a local Ponywala were killed. The incident inspired a comprehensive security rift in the Kashmir Valley and increased enmity between India and Pakistan.
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