Quota for Vaishno Devi pilgrims from outside UT up

Tribune News Service

Jammu, September 5

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has raised the quota of pilgrims from outside Jammu and Kashmir to 500 per day from the existing 100 per day, out of a ceiling of 2,000 pilgrims daily.

The Shrine Board claimed that the yatra to the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi, after its resumption on August 16, was proceeding smoothly and picking up pace with each passing day.

Giving details, chief executive officer (CEO), Shrine Board, Ramesh Kumar, said the booking by the devotees for Shradha Suman Vishesh Pooja (SSVP) had also commenced through the online mode.

“The accommodations of the Shrine Board at Bhawan, Adhkuwari, Katra and Jammu have also been thrown open to the pilgrims following all prescribed SOPs,” he added.

For the ease and comfort of pilgrims, all other supplementary facilities set up by the Board like the battery-operated vehicles, passenger ropeway and helicopter services were also operating smoothly by strictly following the social distancing norms and other precautionary measures.

Free langar at Tarakote Marg and Prasad Kendra at Sanjichhat have also been operationalised by the board for the facility of the pilgrims; besides opening of bhojanalayas in the shrine area enroute to Bhawan.

People are allowed to undertake the pilgrimage after registration through the online mode only in order to avoid any assembly of persons at the yatra registration counters.

The Covid negative test report of the pilgrims from outside J&K and also from the red zone districts of J&K was being checked at the helipad and the yatra entry points at Darshani Deodi, Banganga, Katra. Only those with negative reports were allowed to move beyond towards Bhawan.