UP govt to build 500 km long ‘Parshuram Teerth Circuit,’ pass through these 5 pilgrimage sites in 6 districts
Officials said on July 31 that the Army had built a 170-foot-long bailey bridge across a river to help pilgrims visit the Himalayan shrine of Mata Machail in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. A flash flood recently washed away the bridge.
The 40 day annual Shree Machail Mata yatra, which started on Monday after a gap of two years due to the Covid pandemic, is witnessing a huge rush of pilgrims despite heavy rains, officials said. “On the request of district administration, Kishtwar, the Indian Army supported by NHIDCL jointly constructed the 170-feet long bailey bridge at Kundel to facilitate Machail yatra”, an officer said.
RR and NHIDCL completed the bridge in record time
The engineering regiment Rastriya Rifles (RR) and companies of National Highways and Infrastructure Development (NHIDCL) completed the bridge in record time and it was thrown open for the convenience of the yatris, according to the official. The yatra began with a ceremonial ‘pratham pooja’ performed by Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, and Deputy Commissioner of Kishtwar, Ashok
Sharma, in the presence of priests and thousands of devotees.
The police and civil administration have put elaborate security arrangements and basic amenities in place en route to ensure the smooth and trouble-free conduct of the annual yatra, they said. A large number of police officers, as well as medical and other personnel, have been deployed en route to the shrine to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.
Ensuring sanitation and hygiene
Local administration has been tasked with ensuring sanitation and hygiene in and around langar sites for the convenience of yatris, according to officials. A chopper service from Gulab Garh to Paddar has also been established, with booking centres in Jammu, Udhampur, Kishtwar, and Gulab Garh, they said.
The registration facility has been set up at Gulab Garh Paddar to accommodate the expected high number of yatris this year and to ensure their safety. They also stated that nodal officers and magistrates have been deployed to ensure the smooth operation of the yatra in their respective jurisdictions.
