Jammu, Dec 29: Ahead of New Year, thousands of pilgrims thronged holy shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu’s Reasi district.
Groups of families and friends, wrapped in warm clothing to brace against chilly winds, trekked from the base camp in Katra despite mixed weather conditions featuring intermittent sunshine, clouds, and icy breezes. The devotees’ enthusiasm remained undeterred by the cold.
Reports indicated that daily arrivals at Katra surged to between 20,000 and 26,000 pilgrims, underscoring the traditional New Year rush. Authorities expected further increase, with an additional 70,000 visitors projected by the end of 2025.
To manage the influx, Indian Railways operated special reserved trains (Nos. 04081/04082) between New Delhi and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra from December 27, 2025, to January 1, 2026, providing comfortable and safe travel options for devotees.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, in coordination with police and administration, deployed comprehensive security arrangements to ensure pilgrim safety.
These included a multi-tier security grid, over 550 CCTV cameras for round-the-clock surveillance along the yatra track and key areas, RFID-based crowd management and access control, document verification, and a joint control room manned by shrine board officials, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and central armed paramilitary forces for immediate response to alerts.
Helicopter services from Katra to the helipad near the shrine continued operations despite fluctuating weather, while battery-operated cars facilitated movement on key routes.
Officials stressed that pilgrim safety was the top priority, urging devotees to utilise all available facilities for a smooth and fulfilling yatra as preparations for New Year celebrations intensified—(KNO)
