The annual Amarnath Yatra resumed on Saturday after a six-day suspension caused by adverse weather conditions, with more than 6,000 pilgrims departing from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu for the Baltal base camp in Kashmir Valley. The pilgrimage had been halted on July 19 as a precaution due to persistent rainfall and unsafe conditions along the routes leading to the holy cave shrine. Authorities resumed the yatra after weather conditions improved and travel routes became safe for pilgrims.

According to officials, the 18th batch of pilgrims comprised 6,269 devotees, including 1,470 women, 25 children and 54 sadhus. The convoy of 223 vehicles left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp at around 2:40 am under extensive security arrangements. Officials said the latest batch was directed only towards the Baltal base camp, while no convoy was dispatched for the traditional Pahalgam route. Security personnel continued to escort the pilgrims as part of the standard safety protocol for the annual pilgrimage.

The yatra was suspended after continuous rainfall affected Jammu and Kashmir, particularly along the two pilgrimage routes leading to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine. The traditional 48-kilometre Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district witnessed adverse weather conditions, prompting authorities to halt the movement of pilgrims to ensure their safety. The decision was taken as a preventive measure amid concerns over landslides and deteriorating road conditions.

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Pilgrimage activities resumed after weather conditions improved and the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened to traffic. The highway had remained closed for three days following landslides and shooting stones at multiple locations along the Udhampur-Ramban stretch, disrupting the movement of vehicles between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley. Restoration of road connectivity enabled authorities to restart escorted convoys carrying pilgrims to the designated base camps.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had flagged off the first batch of pilgrims from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp on July 2, ahead of the official commencement of the annual pilgrimage on July 3. The Amarnath Yatra remains one of India's most significant religious pilgrimages, attracting lakhs of devotees each year who undertake the journey to offer prayers at the naturally formed ice Shivling inside the sacred cave shrine.

The pilgrimage is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with the festival of Raksha Bandhan. Officials said nearly four lakh pilgrims have visited the shrine so far during this year's yatra, with around 1.20 lakh devotees beginning their journey from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu. Authorities continue to transport pilgrims to Kashmir in escorted convoys under elaborate security arrangements while closely monitoring weather conditions to ensure the safe continuation of the pilgrimage.

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