The Geological Survey of India will soon submit a report to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board suggesting measures to check shooting stones and landslides on the 13-km track to the shrine in the Trikuta Hills. More than 7 million pilgrims visit the shrine annually. Additional CEO, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Puneet Kumar says: “After we approached the GSI for suggesting measures to check landslides or shooting stones enroute the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, they sent a team which surveyed the track and collected some samples. We are continuously in touch with them and I have been informed that they will soon submit a report to us”. In the past, many pilgrims have lost their lives and several have been injured in landslides. It has also led to the suspension of the yatra on many occasions. In March this year, at least four pilgrims were killed in a landslide triggered by torrential rains at Adhkuwari and 10 people were rescued. In July last year, a massive rock blocked the new Adh Kunwari-Bhawan track, injuring some pilgrims. The yatra was suspended after this.Nearly 100 metre of the track near Devi Dwara, Satya Point, about a kilometre from Adhkunwari was damaged as the rock hit the track. Pilgrims on both sides of the track got trapped and had to be rescued and taken to the old Adhkunwari-Bhawan track. In August, 2004, 11 labourers were killed and three injured in a landslide enroute the shrine. The landslide had occurred at Dabbamore, 2 kilometre from Katra. In February 2005, the pilgrimage was suspended following a landslide, just half a kilometre from the shrine due to incessant rains. Mild landslides during heavy rains are also reported from the old Hathi Matha track, Sanji Chat and Bhairon Ghati. The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is situated at an altitude of 5,200 feet. Pilgrims have to undertake a trek of nearly 13 kilometre from the base camp at Katra.
