Modi to e-inaugurate new Vaishno Devi track today

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Katra, May 18

Aesthetic ambience and attractive wayside amenities on the newly constructed Tarakote Marg, the 7-km track between Banganga and Adhkuwari en route the holy cave shrine of Goddess Vaishno Devi, have made the arduous pilgrimage easier for people. The track will be formally e-inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

The new track is the brainchild of Governor NN Vohra, who is the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board that manages the affairs of the pilgrimage. The shrine board had approved the Governor’s proposal to construct the new track between Banganga and Adhkuwari, to decongest the rush of pilgrims on the existing 6-km track from Banganga to Adhkuwari.

The track proposal was mooted keeping in view the progressively increasing number of pilgrims to the cave shrine.

The Governor, who had been monitoring the completion of the new track on a daily basis, has travelled on the Tarakote Marg several times to review the nature of wayside facilities for the pilgrims.

He has recently directed the urgent installation of additional water ATMs to provide free filtered water for the pilgrims, place more benches and dustbins at regular intervals for the convenience of pilgrims.

At the request of the business community and local residents of Katra and Purana Daroor, the track has been linked with the existing Banganga–Adhkuwari track at a point which takes off near Gulshan Langar.

The 1.5-km link road provides the pilgrims the choice of walking on the existing Banganga–Adhkuwari track or on the Tarakote Marg, once they have crossed the Darshani Deodi.