Due to dense clouds and fog over Jammu’s religious city Katra and Trikuta Mountain, the helicopter service of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra was affected throughout the day on Monday. Due to poor visibility, all helicopter flights from Katra to Sanjhi Chhat were canceled, due to which hundreds of devotees had to face a lot of difficulties.
Clouds were overcast in Katra and Bhawan area since morning, due to which dense fog covered the heights of Trikuta Mountain. This bad weather affected the devotees who had booked helicopter service the most. Especially the elderly, families with small children and sick devotees were particularly affected by this. Ramesh Kumar, a devotee who came from Delhi, said, we had booked a helicopter for our elderly parents, but no clear information was being received since morning. Now we have to travel on foot. Many devotees who had made online bookings remained confused throughout the day. Due to the cancellation of helicopter service, some had to cancel their travel plans, while some were forced to climb on foot. Weather department’s warning and administration’s advice: The weather department has predicted that the weather will remain the same for the next 24 to 48 hours. In view of this, the administration and the Shrine Board have advised the devotees to be cautious and plan their journey according to the weather information.