Machail Mata Yatra Begins April 14: Administration Enhances Security, Connectivity and Pilgrim Safety Measures

Srinagar: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district have finalized comprehensive arrangements for the annual Machail Mata Yatra, which begins on April 14.

This year’s preparations include RFID cards for pilgrims, new bridges, uninterrupted power supply, enhanced security and medical facilities to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.

The arrangements come in the shadow of last year’s devastating cloudburst at Chisoti village,  the gateway to the shrine, which claimed 63 lives and left around 30 missing. The floods washed away a bridge and damaged several structures, crippling connectivity and leaving the area’s infrastructure in disarray.

Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma, accompanied by Senior Superintendent of Police Naresh Singh, reviewed the arrangements during a two-day visit to Paddar. Meetings were held at the Gulabgarh base camp and a public darbar at Machail, where Sharma directed departments to prioritize road connectivity, bridge construction, sanitation, drinking water, and healthcare facilities.

Security measures have been intensified with additional deployment of personnel, installation of surveillance systems, and checkpoints along the Yatra route. RFID cards will be issued to devotees for the first time, with awareness campaigns planned to ensure effective crowd management and safety.

Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has been tasked with constructing a temporary Bailey bridge at Chisoti on the Atholi-Machail Road, replacing the one destroyed in last year’s floods.

Work on a permanent bridge will follow as BRO has also been asked to expedite the Atholi-Pallali road and accelerate construction of the Massu bridge to strengthen connectivity in the region.

Public Works Department has been directed to complete ongoing projects at Machail, including the Yatri Bhawan and Tehsil Office, and to put in place an effective queue management system for orderly pilgrim movement.

Meanwhile, the health department will deploy medical teams equipped with doctors, diagnostic facilities, life-saving drugs, and ambulances at strategic points along the route.

To guarantee uninterrupted power supply, Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited will install backup generators at critical locations. Telecom providers have been instructed to strengthen mobile connectivity along the Yatra route.

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