Katara: The pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi temple, situated on the Trikuta hills in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, has been temporarily suspended on Sunday due to the overwhelming influx of devotees on New Year’s Eve. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) announced the decision after a massive crowd of pilgrims gathered at Katra, the base camp for the yatra.
The suspension came as the temple witnessed a record-breaking number of visitors in 2023, surpassing the previous decade’s highest figure. According to the SMVDSB, around 97 lakh devotees have paid their respects to Maa Vaishno Devi this year, nearing the one crore mark achieved in 2012. The board expects the number to cross one crore by January 1st, 2024.
The SMVDSB has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the safety and security of the pilgrims on New Year. Besides deploying security forces and additional police personnel along the routes leading to the temple, the board has also installed drone cameras for surveillance. To manage the crowd, the board has introduced an RFID Yatra Card with a special sticker for every pilgrim, which will help the board track the number of yatris who have reached the temple. Moreover, the board has made it mandatory for devotees to wear masks and follow Covid-19 protocols, as the country faces a surge in coronavirus cases.
