Balloons, drones prohibited as J-K declares all routes to Amarnath shrine a no-fly zone during yatra period

“With a view to make sure strengthened safety through the Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025, all of the routes of Shri Amarnathji Yatra are hereby declared as No Flying Zone, together with each Pahalgam axis and Baltal axis,” an order issued by J&Okay’s dwelling division mentioned. “Thus, flying of any form of aviation platforms and gadgets, together with UAVs, drones, balloons, and so forth., is prohibited w.e.f. July 1, 2025 to August 10, 2025,” the order mentioned.

The annual Amarnath pilgrimage begins on July 3 this yr and can finish on August 8. Securing the yatra is taken into account one of many Valley’s greatest safety workout routines.

Yearly, lakhs of pilgrims from throughout the nation make the journey to the Himalayan cave shrine, which is accessible through the favored vacationer locations of Pahalgam and Sonmarg.

The choice to declare the routes, Lakhanpur-Jammu-Qazigund-Pahalgam and Lakhanpur-Jammu-Qazigund-Srinagar-Sonamarg, no-fly zones has been taken due to the “prevailing safety state of affairs” within the Valley, particularly after the Pahalgam terror assault during which 25 vacationers and an area man had been killed in April this yr.

“Whereas, all of the stakeholders have mentioned the prevailing safety state of affairs within the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and have proposed further logistics provisions and whereas, the Ministry of House Affairs, Gol, have additionally suggested that the whole route of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 2025, could also be declared as ‘No Flying Zone’ w.e.f. July 1 to August 10, 2025,” the order learn.

The order, nevertheless, mentioned the no-fly zone wouldn’t apply in case of emergencies. “These restrictions won’t be relevant within the circumstances of medical evacuation, catastrophe administration and for surveillance by safety forces,” the order learn. “An in depth SOP for such exceptions might be issued subsequently.”