Twelve years have passed since the enactment of the Shri Mata Sukrala Devi and Shri Mata Bala Sundari Shrine Act, 2013-legislation once hailed as a transformative step to bring transparency, accountability, and systematic development to two of Kathua district’s most revered temples. Yet, more than a decade later, the promise of turning these sacred sites into thriving centres of pilgrimage and regional prosperity has been buried under a pile of legal disputes and bureaucratic inertia. The reality on the ground is distressing. Pilgrims continue to struggle with inadequate amenities – no proper accommodation, unhygienic sanitation facilities, absence of organised parking, and a lack of regulated eateries. The journey that should inspire spiritual solace instead exposes the visitor to a dismal picture of neglect. Vendors overcharge with impunity, and the administration turns a blind eye. The shrines’ management, which should have been a collaborative effort between official and non-official members of the Shrine Board, has remained dysfunctional. For years, the Government has failed to appoint non-official members as required under the Act, rendering the Board practically defunct and stripping devotees of a responsive management structure.
The official justification – that litigation between the Baridars and the Government prevents progress – is neither convincing nor legally sound. The courts have not imposed any stay on improving infrastructure or developing pilgrim facilities. Yet successive administrations have conveniently used the ongoing litigation as an excuse for inaction. It is, in effect, a bureaucratic shield to justify policy paralysis. The Government’s silence and the Baridars’ rigidity have together ensured that nothing moves on the ground.
What makes this situation more disappointing is that the Government continues to talk about promoting alternative religious tourism to ease pressure on the already saturated Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, which attracts over one crore pilgrims annually. Every few months, officials make statements about diversifying Jammu’s religious tourism circuit, yet the two shrines that could naturally serve as viable alternatives – Mata Sukrala and Mata Bala Sundari – remain left out of every major tourism push. The contradiction between public announcements and actual delivery on the ground could not be starker.
In contrast, neighbouring Himachal Pradesh presents a model worth emulating. The state has successfully developed a network of interconnected pilgrimage circuits where devotees visiting Kangra Devi, Jwalaji, Chintpurni, and Baijnath often undertake a spiritual tour covering multiple sites in a single trip. These efforts have not only preserved religious heritage but also spurred local economies through tourism-driven employment, better infrastructure, and ancillary businesses. Jammu and Kashmir, with its rich spiritual landscape, could easily replicate such a model – yet remains mired in administrative inaction and lack of vision.
The neglect of these two shrines is a matter of lost opportunity. Developing these shrines could dramatically transform the socio-economic scenario of Billawar and adjoining areas. Improved roads, accommodation facilities, and regulated markets would create jobs, attract small businesses, and generate local revenue. The region’s youth, who often migrate in search of employment, could find livelihoods within their own communities through tourism-related activities. Moreover, the cultural and spiritual significance of these shrines would attract pilgrims not only from J&K but from all over India.
Central schemes like Bharat Mala, PRASAD, and Sindhu Darshan have repeatedly provided funds for the development of religious and heritage sites across the country. Yet, there is no evidence that the administration has made any serious effort to bring Mata Sukrala or Mata Bala Sundari under these programmes. It is a classic example of how lofty announcements are made, while ground-level implementation remains nonexistent. The result is a governance vacuum where no department – be it Tourism, District Administration, or the Shrine Board – takes ownership of these sites.
It is high time the Government intervenes decisively. The legal deadlock with the Baridars must be resolved. Simultaneously, the appointment of non-official members should be done as a priority so that the Shrine Board can function effectively. Development works must begin on a war footing – from basic amenities like rest houses and washrooms to broader infrastructure like access roads, lighting, and sanitation. If approached with sincerity, these shrines can emerge as key nodes in Jammu’s spiritual tourism circuit.
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