Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, June 29: Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, undertook a holistic review of the various arrangements for the visiting pilgrims in view of the ensuing monsoon season at a meeting of the officers and engineers of the Shrine Board here today.
These arrangements included water and power supply, catering, healthcare facilities, sanitisation and cleanliness and the expeditious clearance of track in case of any debris or landslides falling on the track due to heavy rains to ensure smooth movement of the pilgrims. Other pilgrim-centric arrangements which came up for review included pre-paid system for hiring of ponies, pithoos and palkis besides facilities of Battery Operated Vehicles between Adhkuwari and Bhawan as well as Bhawan-Bhairon Ghati Passenger Ropeway and the security and other aspects of the pilgrimage.
The CEO Shrine Board while extensively reviewing the arrangements, impressed upon all the concerned officers and engineers to ensure further streamlining and augmenting of pilgrim facilities right from Katra to Bhawan in view of the approaching monsoon season. He asked all the officers, engineers and Area/Unit Heads of the Board to take stock of the arrangements in their respective areas of responsibility on daily basis and ensure utmost sanitation and cleanliness besides other requisite arrangements for the pilgrim.
Ramesh Kumar while reviewing the arrangements made and the necessary precautionary measures taken by the Board in view of the COVID pandemic, stressed on maintaining adequate social distancing and strictly following COVID-appropriate behavior.
Meanwhile, the devotees planning for undertaking the pilgrimage to the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji have been advised to carry a valid and verifiable COVID negative RT-PCR report not prior than 48 hours from a recognised testing facility for entry into J&K UT. The persons who are not carrying such valid and verifiable negative RT-PCR report with them will have to undergo a COVID-Antigen test through any of the prescribed methods as per the protocol of the J&K Government.
Among those who participated in the meeting, included Vivek Verma, Additional CEO; Hem Kant Prasher, Chief Accounts Officer; Dr Sunil Sharma, Dr Jagdish Mehra, Deepak Dubey and Vishavjeet Singh, Dy CEOs; besides other concerned officers and engineers of the Board.
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