Yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine resumes

The yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji resumed today with the organising of special Pooja, Havan and Yagya at the Sanctum Sanctorum amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras and performing other religious ceremonies in which Mr. Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer and other concerned officers of the Shrine Board participated.

The Chief Executive Officer accompanied by a team of officers of the Board took stock of the arrangements for the resumption of the pilgrimage at Darshani Deodi, Helipad and right from Katra enroute to Bhawan yesterday till late in the evening. The pilgrims lauded the arrangements put in place by the Shrine Board for their facilitation. Tremendous enthusiasm was observed among the pilgrims as the yatra resumed this morning after about 5 months. It may be recalled that in view of the COVID-19, the pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine was suspended w.e.f. 18 March 2020.

It is pertinent to mention that during the first week of the resumption of pilgrimage i.e. upto 22 August 2020, there shall be a ceiling of 2,000 pilgrims per day, including 1900 from within Jammu and Kashmir and the remaining 100 from outside J&K. The pilgrims will be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage after registration through online mode only through official website of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board i.e. www. maavaishno devi.org in order to avoid any assembly of persons at the Yatra Registration Counter(s).It has been made mandatory for the pilgrims to wear face masks/face cover(s) and every yatri proceeding on the yatra is being scanned through Thermal Scanners at the yatra entry points. The children below the age of 10 years, pregnant women, persons with co-morbidities and persons above the age of 60 years have been advised to avoid the yatra in the interest of their own safety from infection of COVID-19.

The COVID negative test report of the pilgrims from outside J&K and also from Red Zone districts of J&K is being checked at the Helipad and the Yatra Entry Points at Darshani Deodi, Banganga, Katra. Only those with negative reports are to be allowed to move beyond towards Bhawan. For the awareness of the visiting pilgrims about various precautionary measures to be adopted in view of COVID-19, regular announcements are also being made on the already installed Multi-Purpose Audio System on the track.

Pertinently, free Langar at Tarakote Marg and Prasad Kendra at Sanjichhat have been operationalised for the facility of pilgrims; besides opening of Bhojanalayas at Katra, Adhkuwari and Bhawan.

For the ease and comfort of pilgrims, all the supplementary facilities set up by the Board like the Battery Operated Vehicles, Passenger Ropeway and Helicopter services have been put into operation by strictly following the social distancing norms and other precautionary measures.

In order to avoid congregational gatherings, booking/sitting of pilgrims in the Atka Aarti area/ Shradha Suman Vishesh Pooja has not been allowed till further orders.