Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 4: Air services to holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji remained suspended today due to delay in obtaining clearance from Air Wing of the Ministry of Defence, which had expired on March 31.
The helicopter services to the cave shrine, which operated between Katra-Sanji Chat-Katra, were suspended this morning following a message from the Defence Ministry.
As a number of pilgrims had booked online tickets today, they were stranded.
In the meantime, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board authorities took up the matter with Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, who approached the concerned authorities and got verbal permission conveyed for operation of heli services.
Dr Singh told the Excelsior that the message for resumption of helicopter services had reached at 3 pm but by then weather turned cloudy and the services couldn’t be restored. They will now resume tomorrow, he said.
The passengers with confirmed tickets were unable to take the helicopter journey to the cave shrine today.
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