Jammu: Heavy rain continued to batter Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra region on Friday, keeping the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage suspended for the fourth consecutive day following a recent landslide that claimed 34 lives and left 20 others injured.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), which oversees the Yatra, had initially suspended the pilgrimage on Tuesday until further notice.
“Adverse weather conditions persist, so the decision has been made to continue the suspension of the Yatra to ensure pilgrim safety,” an official said.
Katra and the Trikuta hills, where the Vaishno Devi Shrine is located, have been experiencing heavy rainfall since Friday morning, and the downpour showed no signs of stopping at the time of reporting.
The landslide, triggered by a cloudburst, struck the pilgrim route at Adhkuwari in the Trikuta hills on Tuesday (August 26), resulting in 34 deaths and 20 injuries.
The Shrine Board has rejected claims that the Yatra was allowed to continue despite weather warnings, asserting that the pilgrimage was suspended by noon on August 26, ahead of the cloudburst.
“The Yatra on this track was suspended by 12 noon on August 26 following a specific weather advisory,” the Board stated on Thursday night.
Meanwhile, pilgrims waiting for the Yatra to resume have urged the SMVDSB to implement measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
“The painful incident should not happen again. Shrine authorities must take this seriously and ensure adequate safety measures,” said Santosh Singh, a pilgrim from Punjab.
Balram, a devotee from Odisha, expressed grief over the deaths and called for urgent steps to guarantee a safe pilgrimage. “We traveled here in a group of 50-60 people. On arrival, we learned of the tragedy on TV. We pay our heartfelt tributes to the victims and their families. Unfortunately, we must return without having Mata’s darshan,” he said.
The local hotel association announced free accommodation for stranded pilgrims in Katra.
“We express our condolences to the families who lost loved ones. Pilgrims stranded due to the suspension of the Yatra can avail free accommodation in hotels here,” Rakesh Wazir, president of the Katra Hotel Association, told reporters.
Families of those receiving treatment at Narayana Hospital have also been provided accommodation on the hospital premises.
Residents of Katra paid tribute to the landslide victims with a candlelight march in the town.
While rescue operations are nearly complete, officials confirmed that work to clear debris and restore the Yatra route has been finished.
