File photo of devotees at Mata Chandi temple at Machail in Kishtwar district.
Credit: PTI Photos
Jammu: The 43-day-long Shree Machail Mata Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district will commence on July 25, a senior government official said on Monday, assuring better facilities and enhanced security for the pilgrims.
The seven-hour-long arduous journey to the shrine has already been reduced by three hours with the completion of the Machail-Paddar road up to Chashoti, while the holding capacity at various locations has been increased to 5,000 pilgrims per day, Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Devansh Yadav told PTI.
He said the highlight of this year’s yatra will be the introduction of online registration and QR-code-based special pilgrim cards for their safety and security.
“Constructing the road up to Chashoti was challenging due to rocky stretches in many areas. However, the dedicated efforts of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) authorities have made it possible. With the completion of this road, the travel time for pilgrims has been reduced by three hours,” he said.
Earlier, the pilgrims had to trek for six-seven hours to reach the 9,705-foot-high shrine in the scenic Paddar valley, also famous for its Sapphire mines, he added.
“The holding capacity at Yatri Niwas at base camp Gulabgarh and various other places en route the shrine has been increased to accommodate 5,000 pilgrims per day,” he said, adding the helicopter service will also commence with the start of the annual pilgrimage.
He said roadside amenities, langar arrangements, mobile connectivity, traffic management, power, drinking water and medical facilities have been taken care of with special focus on sanitation and cleanliness of the ecologically sensitive region.
He said the Machail Mata Yatra holds immense spiritual and cultural significance and remains a cherished place of pilgrimage for devotees nationwide.