Over 69 lakh pilgrims visit Vaishno Devi shrine this year, footfall rebounds after landslide tragedy

More than 69 lakh pilgrims have so far visited the Vaishno Devi Shrine during the current year.

According to officials, 68,87,674 pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine during this period. The highest number of pilgrims — 9,81,228 — visited the shrine in April, followed by 9,40,143 in March.

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The arrival of pilgrims dipped to 1,85,165 in September after a tragic landslide on the yatra route claimed 35 lives on 26 August. The pilgrimage remained suspended for several days following the mishap.

A committee was constituted to examine in detail the causes behind the incident, identify any lapses, assess the rescue and relief measures undertaken, and recommend appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent such incidents in the future.

However, pilgrim footfall began to recover steadily after the mishap. As many as 3,84,952 pilgrims visited the shrine in October, followed by 4,23,553 in November.

The number of pilgrims visiting the shrine till 28 December, the last month of the year, stood at 4,73,568. Authorities were expecting a further surge in pilgrim arrivals during the New Year period.