Over 95 lakh pilgrims visited Vaishno Devi this year

Reasi: Over 95 lakh pilgrims have arrived at the sacred cave temple of Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta Hills near Katra town in the Reasi district this year, the most in the previous ten years.

This year, around 94.35 lakh pilgrims have visited Goddess Vaishno Devi.

In 2012, one crore four lakh nine thousand, five hundred, and sixty-nine pilgrims paid their respects to the sacred shrine, the biggest number in the pilgrimage journey's history.

Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra, the Yatra base camp, held a security assessment and operational readiness meeting earlier this month, led by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohd Suleman Choudhary of the Udhampur-Reasi Range.

SSP Reasi, SP Katra, Jt CEO Shrine Board, SDPO Katra, Commandant CRPF 06 Bn, and Dysp Bhawan Officers from the Special Branch, Army, CID, Traffic, Railway, and District Special Branch were present at the meeting.

Every officer in attendance gave DIG UR a thorough briefing on their preparations for improved crowd control and security measures during the yatra.

The security drills conducted at the SMVD Shrine, the Yatra route, and the safety and security of pilgrims who visit the shrine on a daily basis were also evaluated by the officer.

A resolution encouraging coordination and collaboration between all security elements stationed to guard the shrine was adopted at the conclusion of the conference. (With inputs from ANI)