Pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi in the Trikuta
Hills of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district will resume from Sunday, Ramesh Kumar, the Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVSB), said on Saturday. The pilgrimage remained suspended for nearly five months due to the coronavirus-induced
lockdown. The pilgrimage was suspended on March 18,
news agency PTI reported.

Adding to the information, Ramesh said that there will be a
cap of two thousand pilgrims each day. Out of the two thousand pilgrims, 1,900
would be from Jammu and Kashmir and the remaining will be from the outside.

Once the pilgrimage begins, the situation will be reviewed,
and decisions will be taken accordingly, the CEO said.

“People will be allowed to undertake the pilgrimage
after registration only through online in order to avoid any assembly at the
yatra registration counter,” Kumar said.

Kumar further said that the pilgrims will be required to
install Aarogya Setu App on their mobile phones. Along with that, it will be
mandatory for them to wear face masks and face cover. The visitors will also
have to undergo thermal scanning at the yatra entry points.

Kumar also advised that children below 10 years, pregnant
women, persons with comorbidities and those above 60 years to avoid the
pilgrimage. However, he maintained that this group will be revisited once the
situation normalises.

Kumar said the raditional routes — from Katra to Bhawan via
Banganga, Adhkuwari and Sanjichhat — will be used for going up and Himkoti
route-Tarakote Marg will be used for coming back from Bhawan.

Coronavirus negative report of the pilgrims from outside
Jammu and Kashmir and from the red zone districts of the Union Territory will
be checked at the helipad and yatra entry points at Darshani Deodi, Banganga,
Katra.

“Only those with negative reports will be allowed to
move towards Bhawan. Ponies, pithus and palkis will not be allowed to ply on
the tracks initially,” he said.

“For the ease and comfort of pilgrims, all
supplementary facilities set up by the Board like battery operated vehicles,
passenger ropeway and helicopter services will ply by strictly following social
distancing norms and other precautionary measures,” Kumar added.

Booking and sitting of pilgrims in Atka Aarti area and
Shradha Suman Vishesh Pooja will not be allowed till further orders.

“Cloakrooms will be allowed to open but blanket stores
will remain closed, initially. All these measured wills be reviewed
fortnightly,” the CEO added.

A massive sanitization campaign has been launched by the
Shrine Board right from Katra to Bhawan before the resumption of the
pilgrimage.

Also read: Congress MLA Harish Dhami slips into flooded rivulet

Also read: Uttarakhand government will not use Chinese goods, says CM