SRINAGAR: Helicopter transportation for pilgrims heading to the Amarnath shrine will not be permitted this year on either the Pahalgam or Baltal tracks, the Amarnath Shrine Management Council confirmed on Wednesday.
This announcement follows a directive issued by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, which has officially classified all approach paths to the sacred cave temple nestled in the southern Himalayan expanse of Kashmir as restricted airspace.
The prohibition, which encompasses aerial devices such as helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and even surveillance balloons, was enforced after consultations with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
A formal communication from the shrine board stated: “As per instructions from the designated authorities, all pilgrimage routes to the Amarnath cave—from both the Pahalgam corridor and Baltal side—are declared ‘No-Fly Zones’ from July 1 to August 10. Consequently, air services for pilgrim conveyance shall remain suspended throughout the yatra corridor.”
Devotees traveling to the cave shrine will now need to journey on foot or use traditional means such as ponies and palanquins (palkis) through the southern Pahalgam track or the northern Baltal passage.
In addition to the Pahalgam and Baltal pilgrimage routes, the larger regional airspace from Lakhanpur through Jammu, Qazigund, and up to Srinagar and Sonamarg—as well as the stretch through Pahalgam—has also been identified as part of the restricted flying area.
This year’s annual spiritual pilgrimage is set to commence on July 3. Each year, hundreds of thousands of devotees from all over India travel to the holy site in the southern reaches of the Kashmir Himalayas. To accommodate the influx, the Jammu and Kashmir government undertakes one of its largest security and logistical operations, including provisions for medical support, transportation, accommodation, and general infrastructure.
This season’s pilgrimage carries added sensitivity as it is the first to be conducted after the deadly April 22 terror strike in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 25 travelers and a local horse guide. The tragedy triggered an intensified security clampdown throughout the region and has further strained ties between India and Pakistan.
