A total of 8,796 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in the ninth batch of the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 during the early hours of Friday under tight security arrangements.According to officials, the convoy was divided between the two routes leading to the holy cave shrine. While 3,450 pilgrims departed for the Baltal axis, 5,346 pilgrims were bound for the Pahalgam axis.

The Baltal-bound convoy left Jammu at 2:42 a.m., while the Pahalgam-bound convoy departed at 3:24 a.m.

The batch comprised 6,426 male pilgrims, 2,042 female pilgrims, 228 sadhus, 56 sadhvis, 10 children, 33 foreign male pilgrims, and one transgender pilgrim.

A total of 354 vehicles were deployed for the convoy, including 175 buses, 70 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 106 light motor vehicles (LMVs), and three two-wheelers. Of these, 173 vehicles were assigned to the Baltal route and 181 vehicles to the Pahalgam route.

With the departure of the ninth batch, the total number of pilgrims who have left the Jammu base camp for the annual pilgrimage has reached 61,612.

The yatra convoys have reached Ramban district, where pilgrims are halting separately for breakfast at Chanderkote Yatri Niwas in Ramban and the Lamber Yatri Ground in Banihal, before proceeding towards the twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan (Pahalgam).

It may be mentioned that the entire district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mohammad Alyas Khan, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramban Arun Gupta and SSP Traffic National Highway Raja Adil Hameed, along with the sub-divisional administration headed by SDM Banihal Mohammad Naseeb, remains actively engaged in receiving and facilitating the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra convoys as they enter Ramban district, ensuring smooth movement and all necessary arrangements for the pilgrims.