Travel News, March, 2007

Back to Index

Vaishno Devi pilgrims stranded

          Jammu: Pilgrims to Vaishno Devi have been stranded due to bad weather. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lieutenant General (Retd) SK Sinha visited the base camp at Katra to inspect the conditions. Evacuation work has already been started at different places enroute the mountain shrine of Vaishno Devi. Pilgrims stranded at several places have been housed in safe places and are being provided food, blankets and medicines, they said. Authorities yesterday suspended the pilgrimage to a 'Vaishno Devi' following the death of five pilgrims due to severe cold. Over six thousand pilgrims heading to the temple have been left stranded at the base camp in Katra following heavy landslides. Pilgrims said that the eleven-km long hilly tract leading to the temple has become a nightmare."This trip of Vaishno Devi has been the worst till now. I have never seen such rain and snowfall," said, Rahul Verma, a pilgrim. The temperatures have dipped drastically in the northern parts of India following un-seasonal incessant rains and snowfall. The Meteorological Department has predicted more rains in the next 24 hours. The holy pilgrimage to Vasihno Devi attracts more than five million pilgrims every year. Life came to a virtual halt here as it continued to snow heavily in the valley. In Srinagar , trees, rooftops and streets remained covered in a white-blanket of snow while vehicles were enveloped in deep- layers of snow.Nazir Ahmed, a Srinagar resident said it was the first time he has seen so much snow in the month of March."I have never seen so much snow in my life, this time of the year.March did see snow in the past, but never so much. Traffic would never get so jammed," he said.

          Meanwhile, traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar highway remained suspended due to heavy rain and snowfall in the upper reaches. Hundreds of heavy vehicles transporting goods from other parts of the country were held up as the only road link from Jammu was closed following incessant rains that triggered landslides at several places along the 300-km long national highway. Stranded truck drivers said they were facing a lot of problems because of the freezing temperatures and limited food supply. "They say the road has been damaged at Panthal. It has been two days now since we got stranded here. We are facing a lot of problems. It is difficult to get food and temperatures have dipped too low. They say it will take at least 2-4 days for the roads to open," said Nisar Ahmed, a driver. The Jammu-Srinagar highway passes through some of the most treacherous mountain terrain in the Pir Panjal mountain range of Kashmir. "There is total blockade between Rambal and Banihal. We have also got reports of snowfall in Patnitop and a resultant total blockade there. No vehicles are being allowed to move from here and we have also requested those in the Kashmir valley not to move out without proper information," said Munnez, Sub-Inspector, Traffic Police, Jammu.
-March 13,  2007