No helicopter service for Amarnath Yatra pilgrims: Shrine Board

Srinagar: Following an order by the Jammu and Kashmir government, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) said on Wednesday that there would be no helicopter service to the Yatris this year.

SASB said on its website that following an order by the Lt Governor, the Yatris should reach the holy cave shrine from both South Kashmir’s Pahalgam and North Kashmir’s Baltal route on foot or by using Ponies and palkis (palanquins).

Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Tuesday chaired a security meeting attended by Director Intelligence Bureau (IB), J&K Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, DGP Nalin Prabhat, GoC 15 corps Prashant Srivastava, intelligence officers of central/UT agencies and senior officers of CAPFs.

After the meeting ended, the J&K government declared all Amarnath Yatra routes as ‘No Fly’ zones between July 1 and August 10 as a security measure to provide foolproof security to the upcoming Yatra.

An order issued by the home department said that the Lt Governor has given strict security directives regarding aerial activity during the upcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2025, declaring all Yatra routes as “No Flying Zones” between July 1 and August 10, 2025.

The J&K home department order said that the Lt Governor has ordered strict adherence to security arrangements. The order said, “Whereas, in view of the forthcoming Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025, which is scheduled we.f. 03.07.2025 to 09.08.2025, various security arrangements are being undertaken for smooth and peaceful conduct of the Yatra, and Whereas, all the stakeholders have discussed the prevailing security scenario in the UT of Jammu & Kashmir and have proposed additional logistics provisions, and Whereas, Ministry of Home Affairs, Gol, have also advised that the entire route of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025 may be declared as ‘No Flying Zone’ w.e.f. July 01 to August 10, 2025.”

“Now, therefore, with a view to ensure strengthened security during the Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025, all the routes of Shri Amarnathji Yatra are hereby declared as ‘No Flying Zone’ including both Pahalgam axis & Baltal axis and thus, flying of any kind of aviation platforms and devices including UAVs, Drones, Balloons, etc. is prohibited w.e.f. 1 July, 2025 to 10th August, 2025,” the order reads.

These restrictions will not be applicable in the cases of medical evacuation, disaster management and for surveillance by security forces. A detailed SOP for such exceptions will be issued subsequently. The directive reads that the order shall remain in force from July 1 to August 10.

Officials have maintained that all security arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra.

L-G Manoj Sinha urged locals for cooperation, saying that the Amarnath Yatra is the people’s Yatra.

–IANS