Vaishno Devi yatra crosses 25 lakh mark

Jammu, May 30: Record number of pilgrims have visited the holy Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi situated on Trikuta Hills of Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir as the number crossed 25 lakh mark so far, official sources said here today.

"About 25.82 lakh pilgrims have performed darshans at the shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi so far which was 3.16 lakh more than the number recorded during the equivalent period in the previous year,'' sources told UNI. However, about 35,000 to 40,000 pilgrims are daily reaching Katra, the base camp of the shrine to trek 13-kilomemter long track to pay obeisance at the Shrine, they said asserting, ''last year, 7.5 million pilgrims had visited the shrine and the number was expected to swell this year.''

UNI