JAMMU — The Vaishno Devi shrine board on Friday reviewed security and logistical arrangements ahead of Republic Day celebrations at Katra, emphasising the need for multi-tier security, crowd management and smooth regulation of the yatra. Chairing a meeting of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board at the Spiritual Growth Centre in Katra, Chief Executive […]
JAMMU — More than 1,600 passengers travelled on two reserved trains operated by Northern Railway’s Jammu Division between Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra and New Delhi over the past two days, railway officials said. The special train, numbered 04082/04081, was introduced to manage increased passenger demand. On the first day of operation on Saturday, over […]
JAMMU — Scores of protesters took to the streets in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra town on Tuesday against the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, demanding an immediate rollback of the proposed ropeway project, officials said. Locals of Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, have been opposing the Rs 250-crore ropeway project, […]
JAMMU — Thirty-three villages have been included in the extended master plan to ensure holistic, planned and sustained growth of Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. This was stated at a high-level meeting chaired by Commissioner Secretary, Housing and Urban Development Department […]
JAMMU — Scores of protesters took to the streets in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra town on Tuesday against the proposed Vaishno Devi ropeway plan, and threatened to resume a chain hunger strike if the project was not shelved. Locals of Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, have been opposing the Rs 250-crore […]
JAMMU — A command and control centre to ensure the safety of Vaishnodevi yatris will be operationalised at Katra town in Reasi district by the first week of May, a top official said Friday. Chairing a high-level security meeting of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board (SMVDSB), CEO Anshul Garg reviewed the security preparedness […]
NEW DELHI — Railways will run a special unreserved train from Katra to New Delhi at 9:20 pm on Wednesday for those who want to cut short their trip to Jammu and Kashmir and return to their respective destinations, an official said. Reports suggested that several tourists at various places in Jammu wanted to return […]
JAMMU — Heavy security arrangements, including AI-enabled CCTV cameras and drones, are being put in place to avert any untoward incident at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine during the Navratri festival. Chaitra (spring) Navratra will commence on March 30 and authorities are anticipating a large crowd of devotees thronging the cave shrine during the nine-day festival. […]
JAMMU — Pilgrim donations at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has gone up to Rs 171.90 crore in Financial Year 2024-25 (till January) from Rs 63.85 crore in 2020-21, according to the temple board. Similarly, the gold offerings at the shrine have also increased from over nine kgs to 27.7 kgs […]
JAMMU — The helicopter and ropeway service at the Vaishno Devi shrine remained suspended on Thursday as high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir experienced snowfall while the plains, including Jammu city, were lashed by rains, ending a prolonged dry spell, officials said. Jammu division had recorded an 83 per cent rainfall deficit and Kashmir Valley […]