Katra, September 17: The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district resumed on Wednesday morning, 22 days after it was halted due to a deadly landslide that killed 34 devotees and left 20 others injured on August 26.
Officials of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said the yatra restarted at 6 a.m. after track repairs, weather clearance and a mandatory safety audit. “Pilgrims are advised to carry valid identification, follow designated pathways and cooperate with on-ground staff. For live updates, booking services and helpline support, devotees can visit the official website www.maavaishnodevi.org,” a shrine board officer at Niharika registration counter noted.
The suspension, which followed the landslide near Ardhkuwari, had halted one of India’s most visited pilgrimages. With Navratri approaching from September 22 to October 1, officials expect a heavy rush of devotees. “The resumption of the yatra marks a reaffirmation of our collective faith and resilience and the board remains committed to upholding the sanctity, safety and dignity of this pilgrimage,” an official said.
According to another official, the delay in reopening was linked to inspections on both the traditional Ban Ganga Marg and the alternative Tarakote Marg. “Field staff had been assigned to conduct a safety audit. During the suspension of the pilgrimage, loose rocks besides dangerously hanging trees on the slopes were removed,” he explained.
The restart has revived activity in Katra, the bustling base camp town for the shrine. Local service providers said the halt had hit them hard. “We are extremely happy that the pilgrimage has resumed. We were facing a tough time because we had no money to sustain our families. Our horses had no fodder,” said a pony operator in Katra.
The deadly landslide had prompted Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order an inquiry on August 29. A three-member panel, comprising Additional Chief Secretary Shaleen Kabra, Inspector General of Police (Jammu) Bhim Sen Tuti and Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar, was tasked to investigate the causes of the tragedy and report within two weeks. The findings have yet to be made public.
This is not the first time such inquiries have been questioned. On January 1, 2022, Sinha had formed another panel after a stampede at the Bhawan area claimed 12 lives. That panel, also headed by Kabra, then serving as principal secretary of the home department, submitted its findings but they were never released, drawing criticism from civil society groups and legal activists.
With the yatra now back on track, the focus remains not only on ensuring the safety of thousands of devotees expected during the Navratri season but also on the unanswered questions about repeated tragedies and the fate of inquiry reports that continue to remain under wraps.
