The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra continued to remain suspended for the eighth consecutive day on Tuesday due to persistent bad weather conditions in the Trikuta hills in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities have restricted the movement of pilgrims from the Katra base camp as a precautionary measure due to safety concerns arising from continuous rainfall, landslides, and flash floods in the region.
The suspension has left the base camp and adjoining areas with a deserted look, as many devotees wait for the resumption of the pilgrimage. The Reasi district administration and shrine board officials are closely monitoring the situation, while restoration work on damaged routes and roads is underway.
On August 27, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi yatra was suspended due to a landslide that killed 34 people and heavy rainfall. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered the constitution of a high-level three-member committee to investigate the causes of the landslide.
Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Jal Shakti, Jammu and Kashmir, will head the committee, which includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.
According to an official order, the committee also includes the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu.
The committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation and submitting its report within two weeks to LG Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), it said.
The order has stated that the Committee shall examine in detail the causes and reasons behind the incident and point out any lapses, assess responses in the form of rescue and relief measures undertaken, and suggest appropriate SOPs and measures for preventing recurrence of such incidents in the future, the order said.
Jammu and Kashmir continue to face widespread destruction due to heavy rains and rain-induced landslides, with restoration work ongoing.
On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Jammu and Kashmir to review the flood situation in a high-level meeting at Raj Bhavan, Jammu. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma, and others were present.
Following the meeting, Shah conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Jammu. He also inspected the condition of the 4th Tawi bridge, part of which was washed away during the floods caused by incessant heavy rainfall.
Shah met with flood-affected residents of Mangu Chak village during his visit. (ANI)
