Amarnath Yatra 2026: Registration Rush Swells as Pilgrims Face Long Waits at Jammu and Srinagar Camps

Thousands of devotees continued arriving in Jammu and Srinagar for the Amarnath Yatra 2026, leading to long queues and mounting pressure on on-the-spot registration facilities despite the smooth movement of the second convoy of pilgrims under tight security. At the Tawi River Front registration centre in Jammu, pilgrims without advance registration gathered from the early hours of the morning, with many spending nights on footpaths in the hope of securing limited registration slots. Several devotees expressed frustration over the shortage of available slots, claiming that online registrations are filled quickly while offline registrations remain limited. Some also raised concerns about crowd management, waiting times, and the lack of basic facilities during the registration process. Pilgrims from different states, including Maharashtra and Telangana, said they had travelled expecting to receive spot registration but were unable to obtain immediate confirmation due to high demand. Authorities have maintained a cap on the number of pilgrims permitted to proceed each day, resulting in delayed travel schedules for many devotees. In Srinagar, similar scenes were witnessed outside transit camps, where large numbers of pilgrims queued for spot registration, Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, and RFID card issuance. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has advised devotees not to travel without confirmed registration, noting that daily capacity remains limited. Officials said a significant portion of the available slots is already allocated through advance online registration, leaving only a limited number for on-the-spot applicants. Many pilgrims are eager to undertake the pilgrimage at the earliest after images of the naturally formed ice Shivling emerged, prompting increased demand during the initial days of the yatra. Authorities continue to urge devotees to complete registration in advance, follow official advisories, and cooperate with security and administrative personnel to ensure an orderly and safe pilgrimage experience.

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