Vaishno Devi Yatra suspended from Oct 5-7 due to inclement weather forecast

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board on Friday night announced the suspension of pilgrimage to the cave shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district from October 5-7 due to an inclement weather advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

More than 1.70 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at  Vaishno Devi temple during Navratri, with the Yatra going on smoothly, officials said.

“In view of an inclement weather advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department, the Vaishno Devi Yatra shall remain suspended from October 5 to 7,” the Shrine Board said in a post on X.

The Yatra will resume on October 8, it said, adding that devotees may stay updated through official channels.

The Shrine Board has taken the step as a precautionary measure in view of the threat perception of landslides, flooding, and cloudbursts due to heavy rain.

The pilgrimage to the shrine resumed on September 17 after remaining suspended for 22 days due to a devastating landslide along the track caused by torrential rain on August 26, which killed 34 people and injured 20 others.