India, June 18 -- A day after the Jammu and Kashmir government declared the Amarnath Yatra routes as no-flying zones from July 1 to August 10, the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) on Wednesday announced that helicopter services would not be available for pilgrims this year.

This is the first time that such a decision has been taken by the SASB in the backdrop of heightened security measures after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that triggered Operation Sindoor under which terrorist training camps were targeted in neighbouring Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.

The announcement made by the SASB on its website read: "The competent authority has in its order dated June 16, 2025, declared all routes of the Shri Amarnath...