With 94.8 laks visitors, Vaishno Devi Shrine records 2nd highest number of pilgrims in decade

JAMMU: The Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the second-highest number of pilgrims in a decade, with 94.83 lakh devotees visiting the shrine in the year 2024, said the CEO of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

Anshul Garg, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SMVDSB, said, “In all, 94.83 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in 2024, the second highest number in a decade”. On December 12, 2024, Garg stated that more than 90 lakh devotees have visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir for the third consecutive year.

“For the third consecutive year, the number of devotees (arriving at the Shrine) has crossed 90 lakh. Last year, we crossed 95 lakh. This year’s yatra is following almost the same trend,” Garg said. He added that efforts are under way to provide more facilities for the devotees and that the footfall in Katra will increase with the improvement in connectivity.

#WATCH | Reasi, J&K: Devotees in huge numbers reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra on the occasion of New Year’s Eve pic.twitter.com/HTI1uyIfhY

— ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2024

The CEO also said that the Board’s ongoing infrastructure initiatives to improve the pilgrimage experience. “We are making efforts to bring in more facilities for the convenience of devotees so that they have an even better experience…So, we are continuously working on multiple projects…The board believes that as the connectivity to Katra is increasing, be it the Vande Bharat train or Delhi-Katra Express which will be completed very soon, the number of people coming to Katra will increase. So, the Board is furthering infrastructure initiatives…”, Garg further said.

In a post on December 8, Anshul Garg announced that the annual yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine had surpassed 9 million visitors for the third consecutive year since 2022.In a post on December 8, Garg announced that the annual yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine had surpassed 9 million visitors for the third consecutive year since 2022.

He also provided updates on several upcoming projects, including the New Vaishnavi Bhawan with family rooms, an exit track for seamless crowd movement, and an all-weather queue complex at Darshani Deodi and Banganga, expected to be completed by 2025.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine continues to attract millions of devotees annually, highlighting its significance as one of the most visited religious sites in India. (ANI)