Paramilitary soldiers escort the first batch of pilgrims for an annual visit to the holy Amarnath cave at the Base Camp in Jammu, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo)Amid unprecedented security arrangements, this year’s first batch of nearly 5,000 Amarnath pilgrims arrived in the Kashmir valley on Thursday.The pilgrims were welcomed by senior security and civil officials at Qazigund in south Kashmir immediately after they crossed the Navyug tunnel, which connects the Kashmir Valley with the Jammu region. A paramilitary soldier waves to pilgrims as they leave for the annual Amarnath Yatra, the annual Hindu pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine, from the base camp in Jammu, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo)Early on Thursday morning, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha had flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from Jammu. They reached in Qazigund by around noon.The pilgrims were welcomed at Qazigund by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, South Kashmir; DIG Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF); Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kulgam; and other senior civil and security officials.Also Read | Amarnath Yatra under stricter security: What changes for pilgrims?Officials said the first batch comprised 4,822 pilgrims, including 816 women, who will take the journey to the Himalayan cave shrine through the twin routes that go through Pahalgam and Baltal.While 2,510 pilgrims will take the traditional Pahalgam-Chandanwari- Amarnath route, 2,312 pilgrims will take the shorter Sonamarg-Baltal-Amarnath route. A sadhu waits beside a bus after the flagging off of the first batch of pilgrims for the annual Amarnath Yatra from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas, in Jammu, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (PTI Photo)Twin routesStory continues below this adFrom Qazigund, the pilgrims moved towards the twin base camps of Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal. On Friday morning, they will commence the onward journey to the cave shrine.The traditional Pahalgam route is an arduous trek that takes three days to reach the cave shrine on foot, palkis, or ponies. The Baltal route is a shorter 14-kilometre trek that allows pilgrims to return in a day.For the second year, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has decided not to run the helicopter service to the cave shrine after the government declared the two routes as “no-fly zones” as a security measure.Massive securityThis year, an unprecedented security apparatus has been put in place for the Amarnath yatra, which is the biggest annual security exercise in Jammu and Kashmir. The multi-layered security apparatus includes no-fly zones along the twin yatra routes, watch towers to keep vigil and real-time monitoring of vehicular movement.Story continues below this ad An armed CRPF official stands guard on the Jammu–Srinagar Highway (NH-44) before the arrival of the first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims, in Udhampur on Thursday. (ANI Photo)The J&K Police issued tamper-proof QR code-based identity cards to service providers, including pony service operators, as part of improved security. The identity cards, when scanned, will provide complete information about a service provider.Security agencies will be monitoring, in real time, the movement of pilgrim convoys through a network of CCTV cameras setup across the twin routes. The government has also issued RFID tags for vehicles, pilgrims and the service providers.Officials said that electronic surveillance, coupled with multi-tier security deployment, was necessitated by last year’s terror attack on the tourists at Baisaran valley of Pahalgam, where 25 tourists and a local man were killed.Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More