New Year Rush at Vaishno Devi: Registration Suspended Till Thursday

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has temporarily suspended the registration for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage following an overwhelming surge of devotees on the occasion of New Year. According to officials, the registration counters have been closed until Thursday morning, as crowd density reached its peak at the Katra base camp and along the trekking route to the Bhawan.

The shrine has witnessed exceptionally high footfall since Monday night as thousands of pilgrims arrived to offer prayers and seek blessings for the New Year. To ensure smooth crowd management, safety of visitors, and uninterrupted arrangements at the holy site, authorities decided to pause new registrations.

📢 Advisory for Pilgrims

The Shrine Board has advised devotees to:

• Plan their visit only after registration services resume
• Regularly check official platforms - including the Shrine Board website and helpline
• Avoid arriving during late-night and early-morning hours when rush is highest
• Follow instructions from volunteers, security personnel, and on-ground staff

Officials also appealed to pilgrims travelling with children and the elderly to delay their journey due to steep rush, as long wait times and extended walking duration on the route may cause inconvenience.

🏞️ Crowd Management Efforts

To handle the massive influx, the board has:

• Increased deployment of security, health staff, and sanitation teams
• Installed barricades at key points along the track
• Stepped up monitoring at the Bhawan, Ardhkuwari, and Sanjichhat areas
• Arranged medical assistance points for fatigue and emergency cases

In addition, helicopter tickets and battery car services are currently functioning but may see delays due to congestion.

🙏 Background: Yatra Sees Record Visitors Every New Year

The Vaishno Devi yatra is one of India's most visited pilgrimages, attracting lakhs of devotees annually. The New Year period traditionally records one of the highest rushes of the year. Last year too, the shrine witnessed heavy congestion, prompting similar crowd-control measures.

The Shrine Board emphasized that the temporary halt is a precautionary step to maintain safety, spiritual experience, and orderly darshan for those already on the premises.

⏳ When Will Registration Resume?

Authorities said the system will likely reopen after Thursday morning, subject to crowd conditions. A formal announcement will be made online once the situation normalizes.