Jammu, Nov 14: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday visited the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district and offered prayers, seeking peace, prosperity and well-being for the people.
The visit came a day after senior police officers reviewed security arrangements along the pilgrimage routes leading to the shrine, amid heightened security concerns following recent incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sinha, who also serves as Chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, paid obeisance at the holy shrine situated in the Trikuta Hills.
Meanwhile, security agencies have stepped up vigilance along the pilgrimage routes to ensure the safety of devotees travelling from Katra to the Bhawan.
On Friday, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Swarn Singh Kotwal, accompanied by Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police Mukund Tibrewal, inspected security arrangements at Katra and along the old and new tracks leading to the shrine.
The inspection covered security deployment, surveillance systems, frisking arrangements, baggage screening facilities and the functioning of police posts. Officers also assessed access control measures and emergency response mechanisms along the pilgrimage routes.
The security review assumes significance in view of recent security incidents in the Union Territory, including the firing attack on CRPF personnel near Mir Bazar in Kulgam, which left three personnel injured. The recovery of the bodies of two missing Special Police Officers from Kishtwar's Dachhan forest area has also heightened security concerns.
Meanwhile, the shrine has witnessed a substantial influx of pilgrims during the current year. Around 83.20 lakh devotees visited Mata Vaishno Devi between January and October 2026.
The number has already surpassed the total annual pilgrimage of 69.78 lakh recorded in 2025 and is approaching the 94.84 lakh visitors registered in 2024.
With the pilgrimage continuing to attract large numbers of devotees, security agencies remain focused on strengthening surveillance, coordination and safety arrangements to ensure a secure journey for pilgrims.
