Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 24: In view of unprecedented rush of pilgrims, the yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine was suspended from the Katra base camp at 8 pm today.
“About 49,700 pilgrims had left for the shrine but the ticket counter was closed at 8 pm, two hours before from its scheduled time due to heavy rush of pilgrims,” official sources said here.
They said that about 10,000 pilgrims are stranded at base camp, adding, ”at an average, daily 35,000 to 40,000 yatris are arriving Katra to perform pilgrimage.”
CEO Shrine Board A K Sahu and Additional CEO Anshul Garg camped at Katra and Darshani Deodi respectively to supervise yatra arrangements. All 49,700 registered pilgrims crossed Darshani Deodi tonight.
”Both the tracks are operational while the chopper services is also on except on foggy days,” they said.
Sources, however, said that the stranded pilgrims will be allowed to perform yatra early morning tomorrow when the ticket counter will be thrown open at 5 am.
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