Pilgrim Footfall Begins to Rise After Tensions Ease Between India and Pakistan
KATRA/JAMMU, May 14 — Helicopter services to the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district resumed on Wednesday, following a seven-day suspension caused by heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan.The resumption of services comes just a day after flight operations were reinstated at 32 airports across the country, including Jammu and Srinagar, as hostilities between the two nations subsided.
An official from the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board confirmed the restart of helicopter operations, stating, "The helicopter service at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine resumed this morning after remaining suspended for the past seven days." The official added that the battery car service, another mode of transport for pilgrims, is also fully operational.
The temporary halt in services had led to a notable dip in the number of devotees visiting the shrine. However, with operations back on track, footfall is beginning to recover. Since January this year, over 30 lakh pilgrims have visited the shrine, compared to 94.84 lakh throughout last year.
"We expect the number of pilgrims to rise significantly in the coming weeks," the official noted optimistically.
Pilgrims like Shubam Kumar from Delhi expressed satisfaction with the resumed services. "We are happy about the resumption of the helicopter service and the arrangements made by the shrine board," he said.
The shrine, located in the Trikuta hills, is one of the most visited religious sites in India and holds deep spiritual significance for millions of devotees.
