Ramban, Jul 20: Relentless monsoon rains and an adverse weather forecast have brought four major yatras in Jammu and Kashmir to a standstill, with the administration suspending the Amarnath Yatra till further orders and temporarily halting the yatras to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Shiv Khori shrine, and Sarthal Devi in Kishtwar as a precautionary measure.
The decision follows warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall across the region, raising the risk of landslides, flash floods, shooting stones and overflowing streams along the pilgrimage routes and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The Jammu Divisional Administration had initially suspended the movement of fresh batches of Amarnath Yatris from Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu, to the Baltal and Nunwan, Pahalgam, base camps on Sunday.
Following a review of the prevailing weather conditions and the condition of the Srinaga-Jammu National Highway, the administration decided to continue the suspension till further orders.
According to an official advisory, no vehicle carrying Amarnath Yatri would be allowed to proceed towards Srinagar from Jammu, Udhampur, or Ramban until weather conditions improve.
Officials said the decision was taken after assessing the IMD forecast and the condition of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, where continuous rainfall has triggered landslides, shooting stones and road blockades at several vulnerable locations in recent days. Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, said the restrictions had been imposed solely to ensure the safety of pilgrims.
He advised devotees to remain at their designated accommodation centres in Jammu, Udhampur, and Ramban and await further instructions from the administration. To ensure the well-being of stranded yatris, the district administrations and security agencies have been directed to provide accommodation, food, drinking water, medical assistance, and other essential services at transit camps until the yatra resumes.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board also announced the temporary suspension of the yatra to the Vaishno Devi cave shrine atop the Trikuta Hills in view of the prevailing weather conditions and the IMD advisory. The board appealed to devotees to postpone their journey and rely only on official advisories regarding the resumption of the yatra. Similarly, the yatra to the Shri Shiv Khori shrine in Reasi district was suspended due to persistent rainfall and unsafe conditions in the Ransoo area. The shrine authorities said the situation was being monitored round the clock and the pilgrimage would resume only after conditions become favourable. In Kishtwar district, the Sarthal Devi Yatra was also suspended till further orders. An order issued by District Magistrate and Chairman, District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), Pankaj Kumar Sharma, said continuous rainfall had significantly increased the risk of landslides, flash floods, shooting stones and overflowing streams along the yatra route.
The administration prohibited the movement of yatris towards the shrine during the suspension period and directed the Police, civil administration, and all concerned departments to enforce the order strictly. Devotees have been advised not to undertake the yatra until the weather improves and fresh instructions are issued. Officials said that the restrictions on all four yatras were purely temporary and had been imposed in the interest of public safety.
They urged yatris not to pay heed to rumours or unverified information and to rely only on official advisories issued by the administration.
Authorities said the yatras would resume only after a comprehensive review of the prevailing weather conditions, the safety of the routes, and the restoration of normal road connectivity.
Till then, all agencies concerned have been directed to remain on high alert and continue providing all necessary assistance to yatris across the region.
