Vaishno Devi Yatra resumes after 22 days, halted again by bad weather

Jammu, Sep 17: Vaishno Devi Yatra, after having remained suspended for 22 days, resumed on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, in Katra town of Reasi district.

However, the weather turned inclement again on Wednesday evening, following which the Yatra was suspended after 5.30 pm, and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) announced that it would be resumed again on Thursday morning in case of fair-weather conditions.

However, the information related to suspension of Yatra during night was neither displayed on SMVDSB official website nor on its twitter handle till late evening.

The earlier recommencement of the Yatra from both routes, amid weather-related uncertainty, enthused both the pilgrims, mainly those stranded in Katra town since September 14, and traders alike. Helicopter service, however, did not ply following recommencement.

On September 16, SMVDSB, while announcing the resumption of Yatra, had cautioned that the commencement of Yatra would be subject to favourable weather conditions.

No wonder joy was all visible on the faces of pilgrims, who commenced their Yatra from Darshani Deodi-Banganga on Wednesday morning at around 6 am, amid slogans in praise of the Goddess.

Equally enthusiastic was the lot of beaming traders (shopkeepers, hotel and restaurant owners) as Yatra recommenced at an apt moment, just days ahead of the Navratra festival, beginning on September 22.

The persisting suspension of Vaishno Devi Yatra had caused trepidation among the trader community.

The holy shrine draws a huge rush of devotees during the auspicious occasion of Navratras every year.

Yatra was earlier scheduled to recommence on Sunday, September 14, 2025. However, due to unrelenting rains at Bhawan and on the track, on September 13, SMVDSB postponed its decision to recommence Yatra till further orders.

Yatra was suspended amid inclement weather conditions on August 26 – the day 34 pilgrims were killed and around 20 others were injured in a landslide incident triggered by a cloudburst on the yatra track at Adhkwari.

The new track between Katra and Adhkwari (through Tarakote), which is susceptible to landslides and weather-related disruptions, was closed on August 24.

The old track, which is generally secure and not prone to slides or shooting stones (having stabilised over the last many decades), was kept open for pilgrim movement with a close watch on weather conditions. The yatra on this track, as per SMVDSB officials, was also suspended by 12 noon on August 26 upon issuance of the specific weather advisory, just hours before the tragedy struck.

On August 29, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha constituted a 3-member panel to probe into the landslide incident on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi track.

LG Sinha is also the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB). The panel was asked to give its report within two weeks to the chairman, SMVDSB.

On September 13, SMVDSB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sachin Kumar Vaishya had reviewed Yatra preparedness to ensure seamless pilgrimage during the upcoming Shardiya Navratras.

The CEO had stressed the importance of disaster management preparedness, including firefighting arrangements and simulation exercises. He directed SDRF personnel to work in tandem with SMVDSB’s Disaster Management Task Force to monitor vulnerable areas and enhance crowd management capabilities.

Effective utilisation of the Integrated Command and Control Centre was underscored for real-time monitoring and response. Vaishya reiterated that pilgrims must carry valid RFID cards to undertake the yatra, and additional handheld scanners with sufficient staff would be deployed to enforce this directive.

A detailed security grid would be in place during the Navratras at Katra and en route to the holy shrine, besides the deployment of Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and a multi-tier security grid comprising police, CRPF and other paramilitary forces.