Vaishno Devi Yatra halted amid adverse weather, devotees urged to wait

Katra: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure due to adverse weather conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday.

Authorities said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of pilgrims and advised devotees not to undertake the pilgrimage until further notice.

Pilgrims have also been urged to keep track of official updates regarding the resumption of the Yatra.

The suspension comes on the same day that the Shri Amarnath Yatra was also halted following an adverse weather forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg said the Amarnath pilgrimage has been temporarily suspended from both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.

No fresh batch of pilgrims will be allowed to proceed from the Baltal and Nunwan (Chandanwari) base camps until weather conditions improve and route safety is reassessed.

Despite the temporary halt, the ongoing Amarnath Yatra has witnessed a strong turnout, with more than 3.7 lakh devotees offering prayers at the holy cave shrine since the pilgrimage began on July 3.

The 57-day Yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 28, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.