Amarnath Yatra: Token distribution begins in Jammu amid tight security

Jammu, June 30 : Token distribution for the annual Amarnath Yatra began on Tuesday at the Tawi River Front in J&K’s Jammu city ahead of the official registration process scheduled to start on Wednesday.

The administration has set up 10 token distribution counters at the venue to facilitate pilgrims. A total of 1,600 tokens have been issued, with 800 allocated for the Pahalgam route and 800 for the Baltal route.

Officials said that pilgrims receiving tokens on Tuesday will be able to complete their registration from Wednesday before proceeding on the holy pilgrimage.

Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place at the Tawi River Front to ensure the smooth and safe distribution of tokens.

Security personnel have been deployed in the area, and authorities are closely monitoring the process to provide a secure environment for all pilgrims.

For the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY) 2026, the Jammu district administration has established 18 on-the-spot registration and token counters. Ten of these token counters operate at the Tawi Riverfront Centre, with additional locations at Geeta Bhawan, Ram Mandir (Purani Mandi), Bhagwati Nagar, and the Railway Station.

Token generation begins transparently at 6:00 a.m. Every pilgrim (including family members) must stand in the queue individually; only one token is issued per eligible person. Token holders undergo e-KYC and RFID registration the day following token issuance.

Amarnath Yatra starts on July 3 and concludes on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan festivals. The cave shrine, situated 3880 ft above sea level is situated in Kashmir Himalayas in Anantnag district. Yatris use either the longer traditional Pahalgam base camp route or the shorter Baltal route.

Those using the Pahalgam route reach the cave shrine after four days, while those using the Baltal route return to the base camp the same day after having ‘darshan’ inside the cave shrine.

The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon.

Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

Since the route beyond the two base camps to the cave shrine has been declared a ‘no-fly zone’, no helicopters are available for the devotees during this year’s Yatra.