Jammu, June 4 -- The J&K administration-led by lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha on Wednesday declared all routes of Amarnath Yatra as "no flying zone" from July 1. "The competent authority has, vide government order no. 321-HOME of 2026, declared all routes of the Amarnath Yatra-including both the Pahalgam and Baltal axes-as a 'No Flying Zone' from July 1 until the completion of the Yatra," stated a government order. The 57-day annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine nestled amid the South Kashmir Himalayas is scheduled to begin July 3; over 3.6 lakh yatris have already registered. Consequently, helicopter services for pilgrims will not be available. Pilgrims may reach the holy cave shrine on foot or avail the services of ponies/ palkis (palanquins) throughout the Yatra," it stated further. The decision comes amid heightened security for the annual pilgrimage, which has always remained a "high-value" target for Pakistani terror outfits. Last year on April 22, at least 25 Hindu tourists were killed by Pakistani terrorists in Pahalgam's Baisaran tourist resort. A senior police officer informed that this year the 670 paramilitary companies have been deployed for yatra, 89 more than the previous year. CRPF, ITBP, CISF and SSB have started arriving in Jammu, the officer informed. "The CRPF's armed commandos will escort the pilgrims' convoys from Yatri Niwas to Baltal and Pahalgam every morning. The 250 km long Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH 44) will be dominated by the CRPF and other security forces 24x7. The convoys from Jammu will be allowed only after road opening parties of the army and CRPF sanitise the highway and give a go-ahead," said the officer. Similarly, security will be up at Jammu-Srinagar railway track as several Amarnath pilgrims are expected to travel to Srinagar via Vande Bharat trains. The rail track from Jammu to Srinagar besides stations enroute shall get focused attention of the security forces and railways police force. In 2025, the Pahalgam attack impacted footfall, with only 4,14,311 pilgrims paying obeisance at the holy cave shrine....