Vaishno Devi Yatra Postponed 'Till Further Order' Amid Incessant Rains In Jammu

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra, which was scheduled to restart on Sunday, September 14, after remaining suspended for 19 days, has been postponed again till further notice amid incessant rains in Jammu and Kashmir.

The pilgrimage was suspended on August 26, hours before a major landslide hit the route leading to the shrine, which resulted in the death of 34 pilgrims and injuries to 20 others.

The shrine board has requested devotees to stay updated on the pilgrimage status through official communication channels.

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“Due to incessant rain at Bhawan and the track, commencement of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra scheduled from September 14 stands postponed till further order. Devotees are requested to stay updated through official communication channels,” the Shrine board said in a post on X on Saturday.

The board has only decided to resume the pilgrimage from September 14 a couple of days ago, but the inclement weather once again forced it to hold back for the safety of pilgrims.

Authorities cited safety concerns as persistent rainfall in the city has triggered landslides and blocked tracks leading to the shrine, making movement unsafe for pilgrims.

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway also remains disrupted at several points due to landslides and road damage, further complicating connectivity.

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According to the officials, the Shrine Board will reintroduce wireless sets to strengthen the communication network along the track leading to the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine to ensure a smooth pilgrimage experience.

The board made the decision ahead of the shrine's reopening on Sunday to accommodate the devotees during the upcoming Shardiya Navratras, scheduled from September 22 to October 1.

“Navratras are inching closer and the board is expecting a considerable influx of devotees at the holy shrine, besides, at the base camp Katra,” the CEO said, emphasising the synergy between all stakeholders during the festival.

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According to the Regional Meteorological Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD ), Jammu and Kashmir are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rains, accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning, in the next few days.

The weather agency has issued a yellow alert for heavy rains in the UT till September 19.

“Thunderstorm/lightning at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir... Gusty winds of 30-40 KMPH at isolated places,” IMD said in a forecast for Sunday, September 14.

After recent record rain in Jammu and Kashmir, which left over 110 dead and 32 others missing, flash floods were reported in the mountainous regions of Rajgarh due to a cloudburst.

(With agency inputs)

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