“Over 45,000 pilgrims visit daily as shrine board enhances facilities”
Arun Jasrotia
Katra,TDD, The nine-day long festival of Navratri commenced with great religious fervor at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine in Reasi district, Jammu and Kashmir. Despite the heavy rush of over 45,000 pilgrims daily, the shrine board has implemented strict security measures and introduced new facilities to ensure a smooth and comfortable pilgrimage experience.
The shrine has been beautifully decorated with indigenous and foreign flowers, and large pandals have been set up in the Bhawan area to accommodate the influx of devotees. The shrine board CEO, Anshul Garg, has welcomed all pilgrims and assured them of all necessary arrangements for a peaceful yatra.
To manage the crowd efficiently, the shrine board has deployed multiple security agencies and implemented advanced surveillance systems, including 650 CCTV cameras and RFID tags. A new skywalk has also been introduced to ease congestion.
In addition to the existing langars, a new one has been set up at Ardh Kuwari to provide more facilities for the pilgrims. The shrine board’s efforts have been appreciated by thousands of devotees who are enthusiastically undertaking the pilgrimage to seek the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi during Navratri.
Meanwhile, in Jammu, the Mata Kali temple witnessed long queues of devotees eager to pay obeisance to the goddess. The annual Navratri festival, dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the region.TDD
