Machail Mata Yatra Suspended for Three Days Due to Adverse Weather Forecast
Jammu: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district have suspended the Machail Mata pilgrimage for three days, from October 5 to 7, following an inclement weather advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), officials said on Saturday.
Earlier, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board had also halted the pilgrimage during the same period as a precautionary measure.
The decision comes in the wake of recent tragedies in the region. On August 14, a cloudburst in Chisoti—the gateway village to the Machail Mata shrine—claimed 65 lives, mostly pilgrims, left over 100 injured, and 32 still missing. Later, on August 26, 34 pilgrims died and 20 were injured in a landslide along the Vaishno Devi track.
“In view of the IMD advisory predicting heavy rainfall and the risk of landslides, the movement of pilgrims towards the Machail Mata shrine shall remain suspended from October 5 to 7 as a precautionary measure,” Kishtwar District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Sharma said in an official order.
He added that no pilgrim will be allowed to proceed toward the shrine during the suspension period and appealed for cooperation from devotees and stakeholders.
Meanwhile, authorities in the neighbouring Doda district have issued alerts urging people to stay vigilant and avoid flood- and landslide-prone areas amid forecasts of rain and snowfall between October 4 and 7.
Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh advised residents to stay away from rivers and water bodies and asked nomadic families to avoid camping near riverbanks. He also directed that pregnant women and critically ill patients be moved to safer locations in advance.
“All necessary arrangements have been made. Teams for snow and road clearance are on standby, and route safety remains our top priority,” Singh said.
