Vaishno Devi records 94.8 lakh pilgrims in 2024; Second highest in decade

Jammu: Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir have recorded the second-highest number of pilgrims in a decade, with 94.83 lakh devotees visiting the shrine in the year 2024, said the CEO of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board. Anshul Garg, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SMVDSB, said, "94.83 lakh pilgrims pay obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in 2024, the second highest number in a decade." CEO statement Earlier on December 12, 2024, Garg stated that more than 90 lakh devotees have visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir for the third consecutive year. "For the third consecutive year, the number of devotees (arriving at the Shrine) has crossed 90 lakh. Last year, we crossed 95 lakh. This year's yatra is following almost the same trend," Garg said. Garg added that efforts are underway to provide more facilities for the devotees and that the footfall in Katra will increase with the improvement in connectivity. Infrastructure to improve The CEO also said that the Board's ongoing infrastructure initiatives to improve the pilgrimage experience. "We are making efforts to bring in more facilities for the convenience of devotees so that they have an even better experience...So, we are continuously working on multiple projects...The board believes that as the connectivity to Katra is increasing, be it the Vande Bharat train or Delhi-Katra Express which will be completed very soon, the number of people coming to Katra will increase. So, the Board is furthering infrastructure initiatives...," Garg further said. In a post on December 8, Anshul Garg announced that the annual yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine had surpassed 9 million visitors for the third consecutive year since 2022. In a post on December 8, Garg announced that the annual yatra to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine had surpassed 9 million visitors for the third consecutive year since 2022. He also provided updates on several upcoming projects, including the New Vaishnavi Bhawan with family rooms, an exit track for seamless crowd movement, and an all-weather queue complex at Darshani Deodi and Banganga, expected to be completed by 2025.