SRINAGAR — The Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir remained suspended on Tuesday due to heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions, with authorities halting pilgrim movement along the two main routes to the Himalayan cave shrine as a precautionary measure.
The suspension was ordered after weather authorities forecast heavy rain across parts of Jammu and Kashmir, raising concerns over possible landslides, flash floods and hazardous conditions along the mountainous pilgrimage tracks, officials said. The annual pilgrimage has been stopped from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes until further orders.
Authorities said no onward movement of pilgrims would be allowed from key base camps, including Baltal and the Nunwan/Chandanwari areas, while officials continue to assess route conditions. Pilgrims have been advised to remain at designated base camps and accommodation centres until the administration gives clearance for travel.
The decision followed weather advisories warning of continued rainfall in the region. The India Meteorological Department had forecast an adverse weather spell, prompting officials to prioritize the safety of pilgrims travelling through steep and vulnerable terrain.
The Amarnath Yatra, which began earlier this month, attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually to the cave shrine located at an altitude of about 3,880 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas. Officials said that more than 370,000 pilgrims had completed the pilgrimage before the suspension was imposed.
The disruption came as heavy rainfall affected several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, with reports of flooding and landslides in some areas. Local authorities have been monitoring vulnerable locations and carrying out precautionary measures as weather conditions remain unsettled.
Officials said the pilgrimage would resume only after a safety assessment of the routes and confirmation that weather conditions had improved. No date for reopening the yatra had been announced as of Tuesday.
