JAMMU / SRINAGAR — Undeterred by persistent precipitation and wet weather warnings across Jammu and Kashmir, a fresh batch of 1,795 pilgrims set off from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu early Thursday morning for the holy Amarnath cave shrine.

According to officials at the Zonal Police Control Room in Jammu, the 23rd official convoy flagged off at 2:44 AM, heading toward the Baltal base camp in Ganderbal district. The batch comprises 1,406 men and 389 women, traveling in a heavily escorted motorcade of 83 vehicles—including 41 buses, 11 medium motor vehicles, 30 light motor vehicles, and a two-wheeler.

With this latest departure, the total number of pilgrims dispatched from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp since the commencement of the annual pilgrimage on July 3 has reached 1,34,201. Meanwhile, devotion remains high at the cave shrine itself, where 4,41,577 devotees have paid their respects so far, including 6,165 pilgrims who offered prayers on Wednesday.

IMD Issues Rain and Landslide Warnings

The movement of the latest convoy comes as weather authorities urge caution across the Union Territory. The Srinagar Meteorological Centre forecast fairly widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms over the next 24 to 48 hours.

The weather office warned of isolated thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 30 to 40 km/h across the Kashmir division over the coming week. For the Jammu region, forecasters signaled isolated heavy rainfall, strong winds, and an elevated risk of flash floods, landslides, mudslides, shooting stones, and localized waterlogging in vulnerable areas.

For Thursday, Srinagar is expected to see partly cloudy skies with light rain, while Jammu is slated for light to moderate showers and thunderstorms, with daytime temperatures hovering around 30°C and 32°C, respectively.

Traffic Authorities Issue Highway Advisory

In response to the volatile weather, the Traffic Police Headquarters issued a comprehensive travel advisory for pilgrims and regular commuters using the crucial Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44).

Authorities confirmed that the highway remains operational for one-way traffic between Nagrota and the Navyug Tunnel, while the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) Road is open for regulated local traffic. However, commuters have been strictly instructed to verify live road status before embarking on their journey.

Key safety directives issued by traffic authorities include:

  • Daylight Travel Only: Commuters are advised to travel exclusively during daylight hours and avoid unnecessary stops, particularly along the landslide-prone Ramban–Banihal stretch.

  • Strict Regulated Timings: Passenger vehicles will move strictly according to designated time slots, while heavy motor vehicles will be cleared based on road maintenance reports.

  • Perishable & Fruit Goods: Special traffic plans have been established for heavy vehicles carrying essential commodities and fruit produce moving out of the Valley.

Officials emphasized that cut-off timings along the highway remain subject to immediate revision based on ongoing road maintenance, convoy movements, and prevailing weather conditions. Pilgrims and travelers are urged to track official updates continuously as intermittent rain continues to affect high-risk stretches of the national highway.