SRINAGAR: A total of 8,150 pilgrims on Thursday departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu as part of the eighth batch of the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026, under tight security arrangements.
According to official figures, 3,445 pilgrims are travelling via the Baltal route, while 4,705 pilgrims are heading through the Pahalgam route. The convoy comprises 334 vehicles, including 175 buses, 55 medium motor vehicles (MMVs) and 104 light motor vehicles (LMVs).
Officials said the Baltal-bound convoy left at 2:50 am, followed by the Pahalgam-bound convoy at 3:38 am.
With the departure of the latest batch, the total number of pilgrims who have left Jammu for the annual pilgrimage has reached 52,816, officials said.
The 57-day Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 commenced on July 3 and is scheduled to conclude on August 28. Organised by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), the annual pilgrimage attracts thousands of devotees to the holy Amarnath Cave in south Kashmir, where pilgrims offer prayers at the naturally formed ice Shiv Lingam.
