Nearly 400 residents of Kalaban village in Mendhar sub-division of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district have been moved to temporary shelters after several houses developed cracks due to land subsidence triggered by continuous rainfall.
The Yatra was scheduled to resume today, but due to incessant rain at Bhawan and the track, the commencement of the Vaishno Devi Yatra stands postponed till further orders.
The pilgrimage to the holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi was suspended for 14 days in a row due to adverse weather conditions and multiple landslides in the region.
Ahead of the Shardiya Navratras, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, CEO of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), convened a joint meeting on Saturday in Katra.
Pilgrims are advised to carry valid identification, follow designated pathways and cooperate with on-ground staff. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-based tracking remains mandatory for ensuring transparency and traceability.
Authorities have cited safety concerns as persistent rainfall has triggered landslides and blocked tracks leading to the shrine, making movement unsafe for pilgrims. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway also remains disrupted at several points due to landslides and road damage, further com
Heavy rainfall in the last few days caused widespread damage in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri. Residents are suffering from damaged houses, sunken roads, and destroyed crops.
Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra continued to remain suspended for the 12th consecutive day on Saturday due to persistent adverse weather conditions and incidents of landslides along the pilgrimage route.
"We need thousands of crores rupees, given the kind of damage I witnessed while taking stock of the situation. There have been damages to people's homes, farms and other belongings," Mufti said while addressing a press conference, urging the UT government to provide land to displaced pers