The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has approved enhancement of group accidental insurance cover for the pilgrims to Rs 5 lakhs from the existing Rs 3 lakhs.

The decision was taken in the meeting of the shrine board that was held in Srinagar on Saturday under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik.

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The Board also approved additional life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to the pilgrims who avail the service of the upcoming ropeway between Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati. This cover shall be in addition to the accidental cover available to each pilgrim once he or she collects the yatra slip and commences the journey.

It is pertinent to mention that premium on providing insurance cover to the pilgrims is borne by the Board and the insurance cover has been upgraded after a gap of 8 years.

The Governor while reviewing the status of installation of Passenger Ropeway between the Bhawan and Bhairon Ghati, asked the CEO to ensure its early commissioning for facilitation of the pilgrims after completion of trial runs. This ropeway has a carrying capacity of 800 passengers per hour and shall reduce the travel time of the one-way journey on foot to Bhairon Temple, from one hour to less than three minutes.

The Board has decided to charge a highly subsidised to and fro ticket of Rs 100 per passenger to enable maximum number of pilgrims to avail of this facility.

The meeting also took stock of the construction of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Nursing College Complex coming up at Kakryal and emphasised on the need for timely completion of its hostels, staff and academic buildings.

The meeting reviewed the functioning of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal, and expressed satisfaction on its performance. The Board in a historic decision approved a medical support policy for treatment of victims of trauma under its social support initiative at the Superspeciality Hospital.

The beneficiaries in this policy will include public trauma victims of road accidents, landslides or shooting stone incidents and such calamities from the surrounding areas of the Shrine referred to the hospital by the concerned Deputy Commissioners to provide emergency medical aid.

Medical assistance shall be provided in all such cases by the Shrine Board till stabilisation of the patient upto a ceiling of Rs 2 lakh as a goodwill gesture for such critical cases.