Jammu, Oct 4: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district have suspended the Machail Mata pilgrimage for three days, from October 5 to 7, in view of the inclement weather advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), officials said on Saturday.
The order, issued by District Magistrate Pankaj Kumar Sharma, said the decision was taken as a precautionary measure following forecasts of heavy rainfall and potential landslides in the region. “No pilgrim shall be permitted to proceed towards the shrine during the said period,” the order stated, urging cooperation from devotees and other stakeholders.
Earlier, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board had also announced a temporary suspension of the pilgrimage to the Trikuta hills from October 5 to 7 in view of the same weather warning.
The decision comes in the wake of two recent tragedies that struck the pilgrimage routes in Jammu division. On August 14, 65 people, mostly pilgrims, were killed and over 100 injured after a cloudburst hit Chisoti village, the gateway to the Machail Mata shrine. In a separate incident on August 26, 34 pilgrims lost their lives and 20 others were injured in a landslide along the Vaishno Devi track.
Meanwhile, the administration in Doda district has issued similar advisories, asking residents to remain vigilant and avoid flood- and landslide-prone areas during the spell of bad weather expected between October 4 and 7.
Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh urged people, especially nomadic families, to stay away from rivers and water bodies, and advised that pregnant women and critical patients be shifted to safer locations in advance. “We have made all arrangements. Teams for snow and road clearance have been put in place. Route safety is our top priority,” Singh told reporters in Doda.
Recent Comments