More than 2.75 lakh devotees have performed darshan at the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2026 (SANJY-2026) cave shrine in Kashmir since the pilgrimage commenced on 3 July 2026, with officials noting that nearly three lakh yatris have completed the trek over the first 11 days. On Tuesday, 14 July, a fresh batch of 5,335 pilgrims departed from Jammu for the Valley in two escorted convoys.

Daily Movement and Base Camp Distribution

On Monday, 13 July, a total of 24,259 yatris had darshan inside the holy cave shrine. Of the 5,335 pilgrims who departed on Tuesday, 3,599 are headed to the Nunwan (Pahalgam) base camp, while 1,736 are proceeding to the Baltal base camp. Both convoys left from Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu under escort.

Bus Accident Near Chanderkote Injures 18 Pilgrims

An accident on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Chanderkote in Ramban district on Monday left 18 pilgrims with minor injuries. According to officials, the incident occurred at approximately 7:20 am when the last vehicle of the Pahalgam-bound convoy — bus registration JK01Y-1044 — suffered a brake failure near the Chanderkote Langar site and rammed into another convoy bus, JK01Y-1052, also damaging a parked car (JK21K-8115). Three vehicles were damaged in the collision.

The driver of bus JK01Y-1044 sustained serious injuries and was admitted for treatment. All 18 pilgrims — hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bihar, and other states — received first aid at District Hospital Ramban and were subsequently discharged, as none required prolonged hospitalisation, according to Dr Sudarshan Singh Katoch, Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

The evacuation was supervised by Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mohammad Alyas Khan, SSP Ramban Arun Gupta, SSP National Highway Raja Adil Hamid, and Additional Deputy Commissioner Varunjeet Singh Charak. The district administration arranged alternate vehicles so that the affected pilgrims could resume their journey to the cave shrine without significant delay. Traffic on the national highway was briefly disrupted but was restored after the damaged vehicles were cleared.

About the Cave Shrine and Yatra Schedule

The Amarnath cave shrine is situated at an altitude of 3,880 metres above sea level. It houses a naturally formed ice stalagmite structure that is believed by devotees to symbolise the mythical powers of Lord Shiva, waxing and waning with the lunar cycle. The 57-day-long SANJY-2026 is scheduled to conclude on 28 August 2026, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and the Raksha Bandhan festival.

Security and Administrative Arrangements

District administration and police personnel were already deployed along the highway as part of yatra management protocols, enabling a swift response to Monday's accident. This rapid mobilisation underscores the scale of the security and logistics apparatus put in place for one of India's largest annual pilgrimages. As the yatra progresses into its second week, authorities are expected to maintain heightened vigil on the highway corridor, where terrain and weather conditions can pose ongoing challenges for convoy movement.