Countdown begins for Amarnath Yatra 2025: Preparations gathering pace at Nunwan Base Camp

Pahalgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 6 (ANI): With less than two months left for the commencement of the holy Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025, preparations are gathering pace at key points along the Pahalgam route.
Scheduled to begin on July 3, this year's yatra is witnessing heightened coordination between security agencies and civil departments to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage.
At the Nunwan Base Camp, the main transit and registration hub near Pahalgam, a large-scale verification and registration process is currently underway for ponies, their handlers, and service providers.
These individuals play a critical role in ferrying pilgrims and supplies during the challenging trek to the Amarnath cave shrine.
A joint team comprising officials from the Labour Department and Animal Husbandry Department (Anantnag) is stationed at security checkpoints to oversee this process.
The officers are verifying the identity and background documents of pony owners and other service personnel, while veterinary doctors are conducting thorough health checkups of the ponies before allowing them to be registered.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Burhanuddin from the Animal Husbandry Department (Anantnag) shared insights into the ongoing registration process.
"This process takes place every year. In it, our pony owners get their ponies registered. First, the pony owners undergo police verification. After that, they must register with the Labour Department. Once that's done, they come to us, and based on their labour registration, we register their ponies through a coin-based system. Along with that, we conduct a health checkup of the ponies, after which we issue them a health certificate and also provide them with insurance coverage," said Burhanuddin.
He further added, "The insurance premium is completely free for one year, and the entire premium is covered by the government. The registration drive is part of a structured process conducted at two main access points for the yatra: Pahalgam and Ganderbal. Special camps have been set up in high pony-population areas, with the Nunwan Base Camp serving as the central hub for Pahalgam-based pony owners. So far, we have registered around 1,200 ponies here," said Dr. Burhanuddin when asked about the current progress at Nunwan camp.
When asked about the registration process for ponies and service providers for the Amarnath Yatra, Dr Burhanuddin said, "We conduct a health check-up for all ponies. When we determine that a pony is fit for the Amarnath Yatra, we tag it. Based on that, we issue an insurance policy. The tag we give is a unique ID. Each horse has a different tag. Through this tag, we can identify both the pony and its owner. In case a horse dies during or after the yatra, we can identify it through the tag and process the insurance claim accordingly. Only those pony owners who have cleared police verification and obtained clearance from the Labour Department are eligible for registration."
"Our preparations go on in the same way every year. Our registration camp will continue until June 15. All pony owners who come during this period will be registered. As always, we will complete the registration of all horses before the yatra begins," Dr. Burhanuddin affirmed.
Construction work at the Nunwan Base Camp is also in full swing. Temporary accommodation, sanitation facilities, and control centres are being rapidly established to handle the anticipated influx of lakhs of devotees.
Traditionally, security deployments would take place nearly a month before the yatra's onset. However, following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, sources are saying that security forces are expected to be deployed earlier this year, by the end of May.
As the sacred yatra approaches, coordination between departments, early security deployments, and structured logistical planning are being emphasised to ensure the safe passage and spiritual experience of every pilgrim heading to Baba Barfani's darshan. (ANI)