J&K LG forms 3-member committee to probe Vaishno devi landslide that killed 34 pilgrims

Mortal remains of the victims ofthe landslide on the route to Vaishno Devi shrine brought to the Government Medical College in Jammu. (Image: PTI)

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday constituted a three-member committee to inquire into the reasons behind the recent landslide along the pilgrim route leading to the Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta Hills in Reasi district, officials said.

The committee headed by the additional chief secretary, Department of Jal Shakti, will submit its report within two weeks to Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, an official order said.

Thirty-four pilgrims were killed and 20 others injured after a landslide struck the pilgrim route on Tuesday afternoon.

Heavy rain lashed Jammu and Kashmir's Katra region on Friday, as the pilgrimage to the Vaishno Devi shrine remained suspended for the fourth consecutive day following a recent landslide.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), which manages the Yatra, suspended the pilgrimage on Tuesday until further orders.

“Inclement weather conditions still persist, so a decision has been taken to continue the suspension of the Yatra in view of pilgrim safety," an official said.

Katra and Trikuta hills, on which the Vaishno Devi Shrine is located, have been witnessing heavy rain since Friday morning. The downpour didn't stop till reports last came in.

The landslide triggered by a cloudburst struck the pilgrim route to the shrine at Adhkuwari in the Trikuta hills on Tuesday (August 26), killing 34 people and injuring 20.

The Shrine Board has refuted allegations of allowing the Yatra to proceed by disregarding weather advisories and at the cost of pilgrim safety, claiming the pilgrimage was suspended at noon on August 26 ahead of the cloudburst that triggered the landslide.

“The Yatra on this track was suspended by 12 noon on August 26 upon issuance of the specific weather advisory,” it said in a statement on Thursday night.

Pilgrims waiting for the Yatra to resume, meanwhile, urged the SMVDSB to take urgent measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.

"The painful incident should not be repeated, and no one else should suffer such a tragedy. The shrine authorities should take this matter seriously and see what measures are needed," Santosh Singh, a pilgrim from Punjab, said.

Another devotee, Balram from Odisha, expressed grief over the deaths of pilgrims and said urgent measures should be taken to ensure a safe Yatra.

“We came here by bus in a group of 50-60 people. As we arrived, we learnt about the tragedy on TV. We pay our heartfelt tributes to the victims and their families. Despite reaching here, we have to return without having Mata's darshan," he said.

The local hotel association has announced free accommodation for the stranded pilgrims in Katra.

"We express our condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. We are with them. The pilgrims stranded due to the suspension of the Yatra can avail free accommodation in hotels in Katra,” Rakesh Wazir, president of Katra Hotel Association, told reporters.

Families of those undergoing treatment at the Narayana Hospital have been provided accommodation at the facility.

Residents of Katra have paid their tributes to the landslide victims by holding a candle march in the town.

While the rescue operations are nearly complete, the work to clear the debris and restore the Yatra route has been finished, officials said.

With inputs from PTI