Landslide on Vaishno Devi Track: Battery Car Service Suspended, Pilgrims Safe
JAMMU: A landslide triggered by intense rainfall struck the new pilgrimage track to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine near Himkoti in Reasi district on Wednesday evening, leading to the temporary suspension of the battery car service on the affected route. Officials confirmed that the old yatra route remains open and unaffected, with hundreds of devotees continuing their journey via the traditional path. Some pilgrims even trekked through mud and sludge to reach the shrine atop Trikuta Hills.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board promptly deployed personnel and machinery to clear debris from the track. According to officials, only a limited section of the new track was impacted. Battery car services were later restored intermittently, but operations were halted again when falling stones, dislodged by the landslide, posed fresh risks to pilgrim safety.
Authorities are closely monitoring the area and have urged pilgrims to follow official advisories and check travel updates before starting their journey. This incident comes nearly a year after a devastating landslide near Ardhkuwari on August 26, 2025, which claimed 34 lives and injured around 20 others. No casualties or injuries have been reported in Wednesday's event.
