Important information for Pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, Katra
Days after stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi, bookings for yatra go online
Katra: Days after the stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi hill shrine in Katra, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board on Tuesday said that bookings for the yatra to the revered temple can only be done online.
“Yatra slips will be issued only through our website and mobile app,” the board said.
Earlier, pilgrims used to get their yatra slips issued online or upon their arrival at Katra town.
The decision comes days after as many as 12 people were killed and 16 others injured in the stampede at the revered shrine atop the Trikuta hills in the early hours of Saturday after a brawl between two groups of pilgrims during the New Year rush.
The stampede at the hill shrine took place at 2.15 am near a narrow passage at gate number 3 outside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple where devotees usually arrive round the clock after trekking for 13 km from the Katra base camp, PTI reported.
"The unfortunate incident, due to a scuffle between two groups of pilgrims, resulted in the stampede. In this ill-fated incident, a total of 12 pilgrims lost their lives and 16 others were injured," the board had said in the statement.
Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha has formed a three-member committee to inquire into the incident and asked it to submit a within a week.
Headed by Principal Secretary (Home) Shaleen Kabra, the panel also includes Divisional Commissioner Jammu Rajiv Langar and Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh as its member.
Tags
KATRA