Good News! Pilgrims to get new path for Vaishno Devi to be opened in February 2018
Katra, November 20: For opening a new path to Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu for foot-travelers and battery-operated cars from November 24, the apex court on Monday stayed the National Green Tribunal’s order. Also on 13th November, the National Green Tribunal has directed that only 50,000 pilgrims will be allowed to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine to avoid any untoward incident.
Earlier Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said to the SC that it is not possible to open the new path from November 24. The bench including Justices MB Lokur and Deepak Gupta passed the order after board’s statement.
The construction of the new path is going on and it would be opened in February end next year said the senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Board. He told the court that two paths to the shrine were already operational and this is the third path which is being built by the Board.
Earlier, The NGT bench supervised by Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar made it clear that if the number of pilgrims exceeds the given 50,000 limit, they will be stopped at Ardhkuwari or Katra town, seeing that the Vaishno Devi Bhawan structure cannot accommodate more than 50,000 persons.
On 15th November, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has warned the Amarnath Shrine Board. Green Tribunal has created a committee of experts who will present a plan to provide facilities to pilgrims. After giving a direction to the report on the proper route, declaration of Silent Zone to the site of the cave and the cleanliness near the temple.