The pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi remained suspended for the 14th consecutive day on Monday due to adverse weather conditions and multiple landslides in the region.
Authorities said persistent rainfall has triggered landslides, blocking tracks leading to the shrine and making movement unsafe for pilgrims. Connectivity has been further disrupted as the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remains blocked at several points due to landslides and road damage.
Restoration work is underway on priority to clear debris and secure the routes. However, officials clarified that the yatra will only resume once weather conditions improve and the tracks are declared safe.
The prolonged suspension has disappointed devotees and caused hardship to local businesses dependent on the pilgrimage. The administration has appealed to pilgrims to remain patient and avoid unnecessary travel towards the shrine until further notice.
A devotee from Kerala, stranded for two days, expressed his disappointment on Sunday, the 13th day of suspension. “I am very sad that I could not go to the temple. I have been waiting for the last two days. People here are saying the gates may open after 15 days. But I am hopeful, and I will go home only after completing my yatra,” he said.
The yatra was suspended after a massive landslide on August 26 resulted in casualties. The disaster struck around 3 p.m. near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkuwari, about halfway along the 12-kilometre trek from Katra to the shrine.
Following the tragedy, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the formation of a high-level three-member committee to investigate the causes of the landslide. The panel is headed by Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Jal Shakti, and also includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.
(With inputs from ANI)