Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have declared the routes of the annual Amarnath Yatra as no-fly zones, drawing criticism from political leaders and analysts who say the move could undermine efforts to project the region as stable and secure.

The Jammu and Kashmir Home Department on Tuesday announced that both routes leading to the Himalayan cave shrine — the Baltal and Pahalgam axes — have been designated as no-fly zones. 

Officials said the measure was aimed at strengthening security for the pilgrimage, which is scheduled to begin on July 3 and conclude on August 9.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioned the need for the restriction, warning it could send the wrong message about the ground situation in the region.

“It seems strange that helicopter service is not being permitted this time, and it sends a wrong message to the rest of the country,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.

The Chief Minister said that he had no access to intelligence inputs behind the move, but noted that such a restriction was being imposed for the first time in many years.

“This might send the wrong message about the situation in Kashmir,” he added.

Abdullah, who also holds the tourism portfolio, has been making efforts to restore public confidence following April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadows , where 26 pilgrims and a local pony operator were killed. 

He recently chaired cabinet meetings in the tourist hot spots of Pahalgam and Gulmarg, aiming to signal that the government would not be deterred by acts of violence.

Political analysts say that the no-fly zone order could heighten public anxiety and dampen efforts to attract tourists.

“This move unnecessarily sensitises the situation,” said Shahnawaz Hussain, a political analyst based in the Valley. “It will create the impression that the situation is so tense that it even prompted the government to impose airspace restrictions.”

Hussain added that a single terror attack should not be allowed to undo the peace-building efforts made in the region since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019.

Published on June 18, 2025