Amarnath Yatra Resumes via Baltal Route after Six‑Day Weather Suspension

The annual Amarnath Yatra, halted on July 19 because of heavy rainfall, reopened on July 25. Authorities kept the traditional Pahalgam axis closed for urgent repair work and directed all pilgrim traffic through the shorter Baltal route. Over 6,000 devotees – 6,269 in the 18th convoy – left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu in a 223‑vehicle convoy under tight security, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha having flagged off the first batch on July 2. The Jammu‑Srinagar highway was cleared after landslides, allowing safe movement to the 3,880‑metre‑high Amarnath cave. By the time of resumption, nearly four lakh pilgrims had visited the shrine this season, about 1.2 lakh having started from Jammu. Subsequent batches (19th convoy) continued to cross the Ramban district. Parallel pilgrimages at Mata Vaishno Devi also recommenced, drawing more than 18,000 devotees, while the Shiv Khori trek remained suspended. Security and medical teams were deployed along the Baltal trail, and weather monitoring continued to ensure pilgrim safety.