Shrine board formulating SOPs for Vaishno Devi yatra

May 18, 2020 14:54

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board is in the process of formulating SoPs that will be followed once pilgrimage to the cave shrine in Trikuta hills of Jammu and Kashmir resumes. The yatra will resume only when directions from the Union Home ministry are issued. The pilgrimage to the shrine in Reasi district was stopped on March 18 in view of spread of coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Shrine Board is in the process of formulating SOPs for the resumption of the yatra once the lockdown is lifted. The pilgrimage will start only when directions from the Home Ministry are issued", CEO, SMVDSB, Ramesh Kumar, told PTI.

He said the board is considering online registration of devotees, while GPS-enabled systems are also under consideration to track pilgrims in real-time to ensure they adhere to social distancing measures. Kumar said the board is mulling installation of door-mounted thermal scanning at multiple places en route Bhawan while the bed capacity at free dormitories is being reduced temporarily to implement social distancing measures.

Only families will be permitted to use the paid lodging to reduce the chances of the spread of the infection. "Some other suggestions like reducing seating capacities at bhojanalaya (food court) and langars (community kitchens) besides giving coupons to devotees with specific time slots to manage the crowds better, are under consideration," he said. -- PTI

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