The nine day long Navratra festival which starts from Tuesday is expected to remain a low key affair due to a spike in Covid-19 cases.
For the last couple of days the overall footfall at the cave shrine is already witnessing a declining trend.
At present the Union Territory administration has fixed the upper limit of 25,000 pilgrims who can perform darshan inside the sanctum sanctorum on a daily basis but close to 14,000 or less pilgrims are undertaking the yatra for the last couple of days.
During the Navratra festival the shrine board authorities are expecting a marginal increase but compared to previous years the mood in the katra township is not upbeat.
The virus has spread in the Katra town affecting a large number of local residents/members of the business community.
On its part the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board authorities have decorated the cave shrine with ornamental flowers to attract the pilgrims but closer look at the yatra statistics clearly revealed rising number of coronavirus cases is expected to cast its shadow on the nine day long festival. The businessmen in Katra including hoteliers, tour operators and those running dry fruit/handicraft businesses are already a worried lot as they are staring at a bleak future ahead.
The district administration in Reasi has also geared up its entire machinery to strictly enforce SOP's at the Katra base camp and has also advised the Shrine Board Authorities to follow all the guidelines to prevent spread of Coronavirus at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi.
Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board Monday visited Bhawan and various other locations on the track and on spot reviewed these arrangements. He also took stock of the arrangements at Yatra Registration Counters at Katra and, besides, at Darshani Deodi, Banganga, Adhkuwari, Tarakote Marg, Sanjichhat, Himkoti Marg, Bhawan, Bhairon Complex and at other locations enroute Katra to Bhawan with Deputy CEOs and others.
Giving details of these arrangements, the CEO said that like in the past, the Bhawan of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, Atka and the area surrounding it have been beautifully decorated with exquisite flowers. Likewise, the illumination of the Bhawan area with attractive and colourful lights has also been done.
He added that as was done in the last year’s Shardiya Navratras, there will be bhajan and bhaint performances by the renowned artistes during Morning and Evening Atka Aarti during these Navratras also. Other special features of these arrangements include organising of Shat Chandi Maha Yagya at the Holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji during the Navratras for peace, prosperity and health of humanity. The Shat Chandi Maha Yagya will be telecast live from 10.30 am to noon daily during the Navratras, he added.