JAMMU: According to an official on Saturday, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board will shortly begin RFID registration at Katra train station. RFID registration helps manage long lines and chaotic conditions during peak rush hour. “The top priorities of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) continue to be the safety, convenience, and ease of worship for devotees.” The Katra railway station will soon begin accepting RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) registrations, which will help with controlling long lines and tumultuous situations during rush hour, according to Chief Executive Officer Anshul Garg. He said that there will be multiple registration counters set up at the train station.Garg stated, “The Board is also planning a laser show at Banganga based on Mata Ki Kahani for the pilgrims adopting conventional routes for the pilgrimage.” Garg is spearheading different development works to make pilgrims’ experience the best for the devotees coming from all over the world. Furthermore, the official stated that holding spaces at Adhkuwari are being constructed with the ability to house between 2500 and 3,000 pilgrims at any given moment. This will not only guarantee efficient crowd control but also offer convenience and comfort to the devotees. According to Garg, the building of a new Vaishnavi Bhawan, which has the capacity to house 300 pilgrims each day, is certain to transform the comforts and conveniences offered to those who visit the sacred site. “The building with a timeline of 18 months once completed shall have provisions for Bhojanalya coupled with washrooms, aimed at making the stay quite pleasant and congenial,” he stated. According to Garg, starting with the upcoming Chaitra Navratri at Darshni Deodi, Adhkuwari, and main Bhawan, the façade of the buildings would be permanently illuminated with digitally controlled, multicoloured LED lights, modelled after the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Dham, and Golden Temple. He said, “These lights will reflect the grandeur of the shrine.”The pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi set a remarkable record in 2023 with the arrival of 95.22 lakh pilgrims, marking the highest number in the previous ten years, according to Garg, who emphasised that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been working hard to develop and upgrade the pilgrim-centric facilities. He continued by saying that the Board has made sufficient preparations and that yatra management has been given priority. “These include the renovated Parvati Bhavan, which has proven to be crucial in controlling the influx in pilgrims, and the Skywalk at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Additionally, the Atka area’s expansion has increased seating space, enabling 20,000 to 25,000 pilgrims each month to attend the morning and evening prayers, according to Garg. He continued, saying that since the third langar facility was opened at Bhairon Ji, following Tarakote Marg and Sanjichhat, between 8,000 and 10,000 pilgrims are currently receiving complimentary meals each day on the road.
