Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra Halted Again Amid Weather Woes

The Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage remains suspended for a 12th day due to severe weather and landslides. A high-level committee is investigating the landslide that killed 34. Meanwhile, local communities grapple with isolation as cloudbursts and floods disrupt connectivity in the Doda district.

The revered Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage has been suspended for the 12th consecutive day, as adverse weather and landslides continue to wreak havoc on the route. Persistent heavy rainfall over the Trikuta Hills sparked a series of landslides and road blockages, rendering the route unsafe for devotees.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Srinagar has issued a yellow alert for thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls for September 8-9, though there is currently no alert for the region until September 7. The pilgrimage was initially halted following a landslide on August 26, which resulted in 34 fatalities and numerous injuries.

In response to the disaster, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has initiated a high-level investigation to ascertain the causes of the landslide. The committee, headed by Shaleen Kabra, Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Jal Shakti, is composed of the Divisional Commissioner and the Inspector General of Police, Jammu. It has been directed to conduct a comprehensive investigation and submit its findings within a fortnight.

Elsewhere, cloudbursts and flash floods have severed connectivity in parts of the Doda district. In a show of resilience, the 4 Rashtriya Rifles unit of the Army constructed a temporary wooden footbridge in less than 18 hours to reconnect the isolated communities and restore essential access.

(With inputs from agencies.)