Srinagar, Sept. 1 -- As many as 4.8 lakh people performed the annual Amarnath Yatra to the Amarnath cave shrine in Kashmir Himalayas this year as against over 4.14 lakh pilgrims last year, officials said. They said that the footfall was brisk in the first three weeks despite a substantial portion of the 57-day yatra being disrupted by bad weather after commencement of the pilgrimage on July 03. "Adverse weather posed serious challenges for more than 10 days and approximately 4.80 lakh devotees had 'darshan'. 82% of pilgrims completed darshan within the first 20 days; 95% within the first month," said an official spokesperson. Every year, hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the country visit the cave shrine of Amarnath situated at a height of 3,880 metre in the Himalayas passing through treacherous mountain routes, glaciers and ice fed streams. Baltal in central Kashmir's Ganderbal and Pahalgam(Nunwan) in south Kashmir are two main base camps of the Amarnath yatra through which the devotees trek to the cave shrine. The yatra was suspended on July 19 owing to bad weather and incessant rains. After a six day suspension, the yatra resumed on July 25 from the Baltal route only. From August 9, the pilgrimage was suspended from both routes. The yatra was facilitated by 54,000 service providers mostly from Jammu and Kashmir including 31,000 pony operators, "pithu" bearers and palanquin carriers; 6,400 tent and shop operators; and 7,700 langar volunteers. " Around 1.87 lakh pilgrims availed palanquin and pony services and 93 medical facilities were set up along the route, with 595 clinical beds and 26 oxygen booths. A total 1,430 doctors and nursing personnel were on round-the-clock duty, supported by 48 ambulances," the spokesperson said. As many as 7,900 toilets were installed and maintained by 7,900 sanitation workers as part of a zero-waste Yatra initiative. "Holding capacity was raised to 63,000 within the Yatra area and 54,000 across Jammu and Kashmir divisions. Aadhaar-based registration helped address the challenge of duplicate registrations. Real-time monitoring was ensured through twice-daily coordination meetings (3 a.m. and 8 p.m.)," the spokesperson said. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is the chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), on Sunday felicitated officers of SASB, Civil Administration, Army, CAPFs, J&K Police, BRO, medical professionals, service providers, and other stakeholders for successful conduct of Amarnath Yatra-2026. He said the pilgrimage is a celebration of the collective resolve that transformed hardships into duty, challenges into opportunities, and service into a form of spiritual practice. Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to the officers, security personnel, sanitation workers, pony operators, pithu bearers, palanquin carriers, langar volunteers and medical staff who ensured a smooth, secure and dignified Yatra despite difficult terrain and adverse weather. "Pilgrims from across the country returned home carrying not just a religious experience, but also the message of the region's culture and hospitality," he noted. Last year, over 4.14 pilgrims performed the yatra which took place in the backdrop of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. In 2024, some 5.12 lakh pilgrims had performed the yatra. The highest-ever number of pilgrims to visit the shrine was in 2011 and 2012 at 6.35 lakh and 6.22 lakh, respectively. In two decades, the lowest number of pilgrims to visit the shrine, besides the Covid years, was in 2003 at 1.7 lakh. In 2016, just 2.2 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine after violence gripped the Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir's Kokernag on July 8, a week after the commencement of the pilgrimage....