The 2025 Amarnath Yatra will witness the highest-ever deployment of security forces, with nearly 50,000 CRPF personnel positioned along the two designated routes to the shrine.
These forces, working alongside Jammu and Kashmir Police, will carry out road-opening duties, detect and defuse IEDs, and provide round-the-clock surveillance. Quick reaction teams will be stationed at key points, and all convoys will be equipped with satellite phones and jammers.
When the yatri convoys pass, all approach roads to the National Highway will be blocked as an additional precaution.
Surveillance drones, bomb disposal squads and canine units will be active on both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes to ensure smooth and secure passage for pilgrims during the 38-day pilgrimage.
Strict guidelines for pilgrims
The Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board has reinforced its eligibility criteria for pilgrims. Individuals under 13 and over 70 years of age will not be permitted to undertake the yatra, even if they possess the required medical certificate. Pregnant women are also barred from participating.
To enhance monitoring, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags will be issued to all yatris and convoy vehicles, enabling security forces to track movement in real time. Drones will be deployed to monitor the route continuously, and rapid-response teams will be ready to act at the first sign of a threat.
Pilgrimage duration reduced after Pahalgam attack
The yatra this year has been shortened to 38 days, a significant cut from the 52-day duration in 2024. The change follows the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed 25 tourists and one local. The incident triggered a wave of retaliatory strikes on terror bases in Pakistan under Operation Sindoor.
In response to cross-border aggression targeting both civilian and military sites, the Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes on Pakistani military positions. In this tense climate, security for the Amarnath Yatra has been given top priority. The pilgrimage will begin on July 3 and conclude on August 9.
