Katra/Jammu, May 14: Helicopter services to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district resumed on Wednesday after a seven-day suspension due to recent military tensions between India and Pakistan, officials confirmed.
The resumption follows the reopening of flight operations at 32 airports, including those in Jammu and Srinagar, after both countries stepped back from hostilities.
According to an official from the shrine board, helicopter operations recommenced this morning, and pilgrim attendance—which had dropped significantly earlier this month—is now gradually recovering. The battery car facility for pilgrims is also operational.
So far this year, over 30 lakh devotees have visited the shrine, compared to 94.84 lakh in the previous year. The official expressed optimism that the number of visitors will increase significantly in the coming days.
Shubam Kumar, a pilgrim from Delhi, expressed satisfaction with the restoration of services and appreciated the shrine board’s arrangements.
