Srinagar, June 07, 2025: Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha chaired the 49th Board Meeting of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) at Raj Bhawan, Srinagar, to ensure comprehensive preparations for the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025. The meeting focused on enhancing facilities and ensuring a seamless, safe, and spiritually enriching experience for pilgrims.
The meeting was attended by distinguished Shrine Board members, including Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj, Prof. Kailash Mehra Sadhu, Shri K.K. Sharma, Shri K.N. Rai, Shri Mukesh Garg, Dr. Shailesh Raina, Dr. Simridhi Bindroo, Shri Suresh Haware, and Prof. Vishwamurti Shastri. Under the chairmanship of LG Sinha, the board conducted a thorough review of the preparedness of various line departments and proposed measures to improve amenities for devotees.
Key discussions centered on arrangements at base camps and enroute locations, including disaster preparedness, Yatra track upgrades, sanitation, water supply, power, transportation, medical facilities, telecom connectivity, weather forecasting, digital prepaid services, fire and emergency services, and civil supplies. The board also addressed insurance coverage for pilgrims and service providers, Yatri Niwas and transit camps, enhanced lodgement capacity, Prasad sale counters, Yatri facilitation centers, online services, RFID card issuance, and registration and verification processes. Additionally, Langar and NGO services were reviewed to ensure robust support for pilgrims.
LG Sinha emphasized, “Safety and well-being of the pilgrims is our top-most priority. We are committed to providing better facilities and amenities to ensure a hassle-free and spiritually enriching experience for all pilgrims.” He directed officials to expedite ongoing projects, including critical infrastructure at Baltal and Pahalgam, to be completed before the Yatra begins.
Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Chief Executive Officer, SASB, presented a detailed overview of the arrangements, noting that approximately 3,31,000 devotees have registered for the Yatra so far. The Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025 will commence on July 3, 2025, via the Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the Baltal route in Ganderbal district, concluding on August 9, 2025, on Raksha Bandhan.
The meeting saw participation from senior officials, including Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Shaleen Kabra (Additional Chief Secretary, Jal Shakti Department), DGP Nalin Prabhat, Chandraker Bharti (Principal Secretary Home), Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Commissioners of Ganderbal and Anantnag, and representatives from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), UT Administration, Police, and SASB, attending in person or virtually.
