The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), on Wednesday, accorded approval to tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and THDC India Limited (THDCIL) for the safety of pilgrims.

The MoU aims to identify and treat slopes that are vulnerable to landslides and rock falls along the Yatra Route between Adhkuwari and Bhawan.

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Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired the meeting of the SMVDSB attended by Members of the Board- Mahamandleshwar Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj; Baleshwar Rai, Dr Ashok Bhan, Kul Bhushan Ahuja, Dr Neelam Sareen, KK Sharma, Suresh Kumar Sharma and Raghu K. Mehta.

Dr Mandeep K. Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor and Anshul Garg, CEO, SMVDSB also attended the meeting.

The collaboration for the survey will focus on ensuring the safety of pilgrims by mitigating the risks associated with unstable slopes.

On the sidelines of the meeting, the lieutenant governor inaugurated and dedicated various pilgrims-centric facilities including Yatri Facilitation Centre at Railway Station Katra and Yatri Facilitation cum Staff Accommodation Complex (Shubhra Bhawan) at Banganga.

He laid e-foundation stone of the new exit track at Bhawan aimed at decongesting the Bhawan area and also launched Digital initiatives of the Shrine Board including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system and AI-enabled Chatbot “Shakti” on the official website of the Board. Panchang Calendar 2025 and diary of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board were also released.

Important decisions were taken in respect of new and underway projects of the Board such as construction of Exit Track from Durga Bhawan to Manokamna (a part of the Master Plan for Bhawan area), development of helipad in collaboration with Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board in village Hutt at Katra, construction of temples in District Reasi, review of projects and status of operationalization of Medical College of the Board at Kakryal, etc.

The Board expressed confidence of a seamless delivery of approved services shall surely enhance overall experience and comfort of devotees visiting the revered Shrine.

The lieutenant governor reiterated the commitment of the Shrine Board to offer enriching experience to the visiting pilgrims by improving transparency and efficiency of all services.

He directed for detailed analyses of the services, security & disaster management; strengthening of mobile connectivity and enhancing pilgrim feedback mechanism.

To address congestion issues near Battery Car Point at Bhawan, the Board approved measures to improve the area’s infrastructure by developing a dedicated parking facility for Battery Cars opposite to Parvati Bhawan, constructed atop a 3-storey structure. This will provide a convenient and organized space for battery cars to operate from, reducing congestion and enhancing the overall ambiance of the area.

The Board also approved the Master Plan for the Sanjichhat Area addressing augmentation of key sectors like accommodations, toilets, water points, food points, queue management, holding area etc.

The Board appreciated façade lighting project initiated for enhancing the Shrine’s aesthetics and ambience in different sector of Shrine and approved revamping of lighting at the facade of the old Gufa in the Atka area, inside the three caves and the sanctum sanctorum through a combination of LEDs and optic fibre lighting.

The Board also gave its approval to the additional Grant-in-Aid for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Charitable Society to support the operation of the Board’s peripheral institutions such as the Medical College, Hospital, Gurukul, Sports Complex, and College of Nursing, all of which are managed by the SMVD Charitable Society.

Earlier, Sh Anshul Garg, CEO, SMVDSB, gave a detailed presentation on varied activities of the Shrine Board and the action taken as regards the implementation of various decisions of the previous meetings of the Board.

A well-equipped disaster management store is a key feature of Shubhra Bhawan that is expected to serve as a ‘critical resource for emergency response and disaster mitigation’.