The Vaishno Devi Yatra continues to remain suspended for the 13th consecutive day, due to adverse weather and safety concerns.
Heavy rainfall over the past several days has triggered landslides and road blockages in the Trikuta Hills, making the pilgrimage route unsafe for devotees. Authorities have said that the Vaishno Devi Yatra will resume only after the situation improves and the track is declared safe for devotees.
A devotee from Kerala, who was waiting for the gates to open, said, “I am very sad that I did not get to go to the temple. I have been waiting for the last 2 days. The people here are saying that the gates will open after 15 days. But I am hopeful, and I will go home only after completing my yatra.”
He also expressed condolences over the death of pilgrims due to the landslide in the area.
Arun, another devotee from Kerala, said, “I am from Kerala and I have been waiting for the past two to three days to visit the temple. The routes are closed after a few pilgrims lost their lives. I will try to wait for a few more days and will go back after worshipping the devi. I am praying for the weather to improve and hope that the rain will also stop.”
The Vaishno Devi Yatra was suspended after a landslide on August 26 that killed 34 people and injured several. The disaster struck in the afternoon, around 3 pm, when heavy rains triggered a massive landslide near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkuwari, about halfway along the 12-kilometre trek from Katra to the shrine.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had ordered the constitution of a high-level three-member committee to investigate the causes of the landslide.
Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Jal Shakti, Jammu and Kashmir, is heading the committee, which includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.
According to an official order, the committee also includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.
The committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation and submitting its report within two weeks to LG Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), it said.
The order has stated that the Committee shall examine in detail the causes and reasons behind the incident and point out any lapses, assess responses in the form of rescue and relief measures undertaken, and suggest appropriate SOPs and measures for preventing recurrence of such incidents in the future, the order said.
Meanwhile, villagers in the Bhaderwah areas of Doda district were cut off after cloudbursts and flash floods, which led the 4 Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Army to construct a makeshift wooden footbridge in under 18 hours to restore connectivity in the affected areas. (ANI)
