J&K Government Imposes Aerial Restrictions on Pahalgam, Baltal Axes Following MHA Advisory
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD)In a major security measure ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir government has declared all pilgrimage routes—including the Pahalgam and Baltal axes—as ‘No Flying Zones’ from July 1 to August 10.
The directive, issued by the Union Territory’s Home Department, bans the use of all aerial devices such as drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and balloons over the designated Yatra routes.
The order comes on the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, and is aimed at ensuring foolproof security during the pilgrimage.
However, the restrictions will not apply to medical evacuations, disaster response efforts, or surveillance operations carried out by security forces. A detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for these exceptions will be issued separately.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is in Srinagar today, chairing a high-level meeting to review the overall security arrangements for the Yatra.
The Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin on July 3 and conclude on August 9. In light of the recent attack near Pahalgam, authorities are implementing additional security measures to ensure the pilgrimage proceeds peacefully. Around 580 companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) are being deployed across the route to maintain order and provide layered protection.(DD)