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To Index File Normalcy in Jammu improves pilgrim visits to Vaishno Devi Katra (Jammu and
Kashmir): With violence ending in the Jammu region, the number of pilgrims
visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine is on the rise. A sharp dip in the number of
pilgrim visits was witnessed in the last two months owing to the frequent shutdowns
and imposition of curfew. However, with the resolution of the forest land row,
the first week of September has seen atleast 17,000 people undertaking the pilgrimage
to pay obeisance to the Vaishno Devi shrine. "In the last two months, the number
of pilgrims had reduced drastically. It was almost nil. But now, the agitation
is over, people are coming back again and in the last 2-3 days, there were over
17,000-18, 000 pilgrims," claimed Jugul Sharma, Deputy Superintendent of Police,
Katra. Katra annually receives about five million pilgrim tourists. It serves
as the base camp for pilgrims, who after a halt, undertake the 14-kilometer long
trek to the shrine. Sandeep Singh, a pilgrim, said: "Now, things are normal, the
pilgrimage is back on track and slowly, the rush is also increasing. There is
no problem here at all, no strike, nothing. People are coming here and offering
their prayers peacefully. Even the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the
Government are coordinating to ensure all facilities are in place." The pilgrimage
is a huge revenue source for the state, which has witnessed slump in its tourism
business because of shrine row stir. Rupees 450 crore is injected into the Katra
economy alone every year. It is likely to touch Rs. 72.28 lakh in 2009 and Rs.
86 lakhs in 2015 as against Rs. 69.05 lakh presently. The pilgrimage provides
employment to about 27,000 people. In July and August, Jammu was reeling from
violent protests, demonstrations and shutdowns over the transfer of forestland
to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The State Government reached an agreement with
the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti to let the shrine board use 40-hectares of land
temporarily during the period of the pilgrimage. |
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