Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 7: Pilgrimage to holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji is likely to resume tomorrow after four days of suspension provided that water and power supply on 13 kilometers track was restored tonight, as promised by the authorities.
“Hopefully, if water and power supply is restored tonight, which has been promised by the concerned authorities, we will be able to restore the yatra tomorrow morning after keeping it suspended for four days,’’ Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDB) CEO Dr Mandeep K Bhandari told the Excelsior.
However, he said, the yatris would have to take Jammu-Adh Kunwari-Sanji Chat-Bhairon Ghati route to reach Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan for a day or so in view of landslides between Sanji Chat and Bhawan, which could take a day or two to clear.
He said the pilgrims will have to take Katra to Adh-Kunwari route and then trek on old track from Adh-Kunwari to Sanji Chat. However, from Sanji Chat, they will have to take Bhairon Ghati route to reach Bhawan. On return journey also, the pilgrims will have to take similar route till landslides were cleared from Sanji Chat-Bhawan track.
“As the track from Sanji Chat to Bhawan via Bhairon Ghati was narrow, the ponies will not be allowed to move,’’ Dr Bhandari said, adding, therefore, only those pilgrims, who were physically fit and without any ailment should undertake the journey until Sanji-chat Bhawan track and new track from Adh-Kunwari to Bhawan were cleared of boulders and declared safe for pilgrimage.
The SMVDSB CEO, who undertook survey of entire track today, said it could take a day or so to restore all tracks for pilgrimage as heavy rains had caused damage to the track and shelters at some places. He added that authorities have assured the SMVDSB of restoration of water and power supply today and if this was done even till late tonight, the yatra will be resumed tomorrow morning.
The yatra was suspended at 4 pm on September 4 after boulders started falling on both tracks from Adh-Kunwari to Bhawan and rains continued uninterruptedly.
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