Mata Vaishno Devi reopens; only 2,000 devotees will be allowed to visit

Mata Vaishno Devi reopens; only 2,000 devotees will be allowed to visit

After four months the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine was reopened for devotees on Sunday, officials said. "Two thousand pilgrims will only be allowed to proceed to the shrine daily from today.

"Out of these, 100 would be from outside J&K and 1,900 devotees would be locals. All outsiders will have to undergo Covid-19 test before they are allowed to undertake the trek to the shrine. "Thermal scanners have been installed at different places on the trek to Mata's Shrine. No helpers or ponies will be allowed to move with the devotees who will have to walk the entire trek from Katra base camp", officials said.

Religious places in J&K were closed following the Covid-19 outbreak. And, in view of this, pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi was suspended four months back. The shrine situated on the Trikuta Hills in Reasi district of Jammu division is the most thronged religious place in J&K. Before the pandemic, over 2.40 crore devotees have been visiting the shrine each year.

CHECK THE GUIDELINES

  • Cloakrooms will be allowed to open but blanket stores will remain shut.
  • Aarogya Setu App mandatory.
  • Not more than 600 people, including pilgrims, staff and security personnel, will be allowed in the Bhawan complex.
  • COVID-19 antigen test will be made compulsory for all devotees.
  • Pilgrims arriving from red zone districts of Jammu and Kashmir will also have to undergo the same test.

Enjoyed reading The Bridge Chronicle?
Your support motivates us to do better. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay updated with the latest stories.
You can also read on the go with our Android and iOS mobile app.

Related Stories

No stories found.
logo
The Bridge Chronicle
www.thebridgechronicle.com