More than 300 pilgrims to the shrine of Machail Mata in Kishtwar district remain stranded at Gulabgarh for last five days just because there is total chaos in the management of chopper service to the holy shrine from Gulabgarh which is the last destination from where choppers have to pick up the pilgrims. Pilgrimage to Machail Mata has picked up since last three years when chopper service was introduced that makes several sorties from Gulabgarh base to Machail Mata Shrine in a day lifting the pilgrims to the final destination.
Two companies Pawan Hans and UTAIR had entered into a contract with the State administration that they would fly chopper service between Gulabgarh and Machail Mata shrine. Each company was supposed to have two choppers for the service so that one chopper makes sorties and the other remains in reserve for emergency service. As there has been influx of pilgrims, naturally it led to great demand for reservation of chopper service. People booked their seats in advance to make sure that they did not miss the opportunity.
However, firstly the choppers did not maintain regular service and secondly one chopper developed some snag and had to be grounded. This caused panic among the pilgrims to grab the first available opportunity and board the chopper. The choppers have limited seats and there is great rush. This led to some chaos which hasbeen heightened by the mismanagement of the administration. The stranded pilgrims have protested against the district administration. Their complaint is that the chopper service companies and the district administration are hand in glove and only those pilgrims who have influence with the administration get priority of lift whereas those who have already booked in advance and have been given the date for flight are left behind. The point is that the pilgrimage to the shrine closes on 31st August and those who have tickets issued to them in advance remain stranded while influential persons are put on flight. The local administration argues that the sorties are regularly made and there is no discrimination. The question is if all is well why the people come out on the streets to protest against the policy under which people with influence mange to fly to pilgrim destination and return safely while hundreds are left stranded at Gulabgarh. They mostly include aged persons of both the genders.
This reflects failure of the district administration. The Government should intervene in the matter and prepare a manual of instructions to all concerned including the pilgrims of how to conduct the pilgrimage to Machail Mata safely and meticulously. Those who are stranded have to be air lifted for pilgrimage to Machail Mata in Kishtwar. As Machail Mata pilgrimage is gathering momentum and the number of pilgrims has been steadily increasing for past couple of years, it is time that Machail Mata Shrine Board is properly constituted under prescribed rules and thus pilgrimage to the shrine is regularized and improvements are effected with the passage of time.
It is also necessary that in view of increasing number of pilgrims, a revision of the terms of agreement with the chopper service companies is made so that the number of sorties is increased and regularity is brought about in lifting the pilgrims in accordance with their seniority. It will be reminded that in recent week we had taken up the case of regularizing chopper service between Kishtwar and Jammu because there were many complaints about inefficiency and irregularity with the Pawan Hans service. That too should be looked into and whatever changes or improvements are necessary in regard to connectivity must be affected at an early date.
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