Reasi: The Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra remained suspended for the 12th consecutive day on Saturday due to ongoing adverse weather and landslides along the pilgrimage route.
Heavy rainfall over the past several days triggered landslides and blocked roads in the Trikuta Hills, rendering the trek unsafe for devotees.
The Regional Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has stated that no alert is in place for the district until September 7. However, a yellow alert has been issued for September 8-9, warning of thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls.
The Yatra was initially halted after a landslide on August 26 claimed 34 lives and injured several others. The disaster occurred around 3 pm near Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkuwari, roughly halfway along the 12-kilometre trek from Katra to the shrine, when heavy rains triggered the massive landslide.
Following the tragedy, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the formation of a high-level, three-member committee to investigate the causes of the landslide. The committee is headed by Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Jal Shakti, Jammu and Kashmir, and also includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.
The committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed inquiry and submitting its report within two weeks to LG Sinha, who also serves as chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB). Its mandate includes identifying the causes of the incident, assessing rescue and relief responses, and recommending standard operating procedures and preventive measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile, in Doda district, villages in the Bhaderwah region were cut off after cloudbursts and flash floods. In response, the 4 Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Army constructed a temporary wooden footbridge in less than 18 hours to restore connectivity.
Earlier this week, the calamity washed away key roads in Beja village, leaving residents of Butla, Beja, Shrekhi, and Katyara isolated from the main town.
