Katra/Jammu: Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district has been adorned with vibrant floral decorations on the eve of Shardiya Navratras on Sunday, creating a festive ambience for the thousands of devotees expected to arrive over the next nine days.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has also pressed volunteers into service to guide pilgrims, manage the heavy rush, and ensure smooth movement along the 12-km yatra route, the officials said.
They said additional facilities, including drinking water points, medical aid and crowd management measures, have also been put in place to provide a comfortable pilgrimage experience for visitors from different parts of the country.
The pilgrimage to the revered shrine resumed on September 17 after remaining suspended for 22 days due to a devastating landslide along the track amid torrential rains on August 26 resulting in the death of 34 persons and injuries to 20 others.
Navratra, which will be observed from September 22 to October 1, is dedicated to the worship of goddess Durga and holds special significance at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, which witnesses one of its highest pilgrim turnouts during this period. Devotees undertake the uphill trek chanting hymns and offering prayers, seeking blessings for prosperity and well-being.
“The shrine board is ready to welcome the devotees during the festival. All arrangements including security is in place while the whole track along with ‘Bhawan’ (sanctum sanctorum) is decorated like the past with additional steps to provide better experience to the devotees,” Chief Executive Officer of SMVDSB Sachin Kumar Vaishya said.
In addition to the help desks, he said this year volunteers have been deployed all along the track to guide the pilgrims and respond to their questions.
“They will be identified by their attire in which it will be written ‘how can I help you’. They are deployed on the track,” the CEO said.
He said the shrine board has also decided to reintroduce wireless sets to strengthen the communication network and put up extra signages along the route besides joint patrol monitoring to manage crowds effectively and designate holding areas.
A multi-tier security grid involving police, CRPF, paramilitary forces, and quick-response teams would be ensured during the festival, he said.
Officials said the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine in the past five days have shown an increasing trend with over 4,000 pilgrims paying their obeisance at the shrine on Friday.
The pilgrims are advised to carry valid identification, follow designated pathways and cooperate with on-ground staff, they said adding Radio Frequency Identity Card (RFID)-based tracking remains mandatory for transparency and traceability.
Meanwhile, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police, Bhim Sen Tuti chaired a meeting in Jammu on Saturday to review the arrangements made by district administrations for the forthcoming festivals of Navratri, Ram Navami, Dussehra and Diwali.
Threadbare discussions were held on different aspects of arrangements with a focus on availability of civil supplies, security, connectivity and civic amenities for the smooth celebration of the festivals, an official spokesperson said.
He said directions were issued to ensure seamless arrangements in and around the religious places with a special focus on sanitation, crowd management, accessibility of roads, drinking water, power supply, traffic management, availability of essential items and check on overcharging in the markets in each district.
Kumar directed the concerned Deputy Commissioners to personally visit the religious shrines that witness large congregations of people during the holy festivals.
He also asked them to ensure proper deployment of police personnel and queue management systems for the smooth movement of people.
Directions were also issued for meticulous planning of routes for religious processions and selection of venues for organizing Ramleela.
The IGP directed the district SSPs to formulate police deployment and traffic plans for the festive season.
Health and Fire Emergency departments were asked to deploy their ambulances and fire tenders at the religious shrines with adequate doctors and staff, the spokesperson said.
He said the Deputy Commissioners were asked to put in place adequate fire safety measures at the venues identified for selling firecrackers.
