Vaishno Devi Yatra: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, which was scheduled to begin on September 14, has been postponed again due to inclement weather. Officials of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board have announced that the yatra will not begin as per the earlier scheduled schedule and the devotees will have to wait till further orders. Heavy rains and inclement weather in the Trikuta hills have raised concerns about the safety of the devotees. Officials said that this decision has been taken keeping in mind the safety and convenience of the devotees.
The Shrine Board has appealed to all devotees to be patient and avoid travelling to Katra till the Yatra officially resumes. The new dates for starting the Yatra will be announced after reviewing the weather.
The Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, which was suspended for more than two weeks due to landslides, was scheduled to resume from Sunday (September 14). The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board had made this announcement a day earlier on September 12. But at the same time, the board had also said that the resumption of the Vaishno Devi Yatra is conditional and depends on favourable weather conditions.
It is worth noting that on August 26, more than 35 pilgrims died and more than 10 others were injured due to a landslide on the way to Mata Vaishno Devi temple during very bad weather in Jammu division. Due to this, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra was postponed. After the recent landslide in Katra, the administration had issued orders to evacuate hotels and dharamshalas.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) came under fire after the landslide, with even Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surendra Chaudhary blaming SMVDSB officials for the mismanagement of the yatra. Three days later, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the landslide incident near Akhdwari on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple road.
A three-member high-level committee was formed under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (Jal Shakti), which included the Divisional Commissioner of Jammu and the Inspector General of Police (IGP). “This committee will submit a report to the Shrine Board next week,” the Lt. Governor’s order said. It is worth noting that every year crores of devotees visit the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi temple located in Katra in Reasi district.
