Vaishnodevi Yatra remains suspended for 7th day

Jammu, Sep 1: Vaishnodevi Yatra Monday remained suspended for the seventh day in the wake of persisting inclement weather conditions in the Reasi district.

Meanwhile in Katra, the administration has identified 80 commercial structures, including 15 hotels, in vulnerable and landslide-prone areas amid continuous rainfall.

“A detailed survey is presently underway, and precautionary measures are being taken to ensure the safety of pilgrims and locals. I need to clarify the confusion about the vacation order for commercial establishments. An impression is being created as if the whole Katra is being targeted, which is wrong. It is only the vulnerable stretch where these structures have been identified to ensure security of the pilgrims and locals,” SDM Katra Piyush Dhotra told media persons.

The Katra Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) on Sunday had ordered the vacation of all commercial establishments located on hills, including hotels and Dharamshalas, from Balini bridge to Darshani Deodi and from Balini bridge to Asia Chowk in Katra in the vulnerable stretches with immediate effect, till they obtained safety certificates from the Executive Engineer, PWD, Katra.

Dhotra stated that the landslide near Shani temple on Domail-Katra Road was cleared and the road was opened for traffic. “PWD and other related agencies worked on a war footing to clear the slides. But in the Balni area, landslides were occurring at regular intervals. In case of clear weather and no further incidents of landslides, that stretch is also expected to be opened by tomorrow (September 2) afternoon,” SDM Katra said.

The Met department has predicted partly to generally cloudy weather with a spell of rain and thunder at many places in Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Katra, and Udhampur till September 2.

In the wake of disrupted road connectivity, around 1500 Kashmir-bound trucks remained stranded at the Samba Ring Road stretch. Traffic Police said that they were being cleared gradually, yet it would take time amid weather vagaries.

In Jammu also, the people continued to face problems as the Bailey bridge constructed by the army to restore connectivity on the 4th Tawi bridge was not yet opened for people or for public transport movement.