Katra Rail Track Nearing Completion
Friday, January 26, 2007 Published by NDTV
It appears that the train connecting Katra, in Jammu and Kashmir, to the valley will finally become a reality in the next two months.
Bridge number 20 on the Jhajhar river, which connects Katra with Udhampur, is the highest railway bridge.
Constructed at a height of 94 metres above the ground level, it was completed by the northern railways in two years time, clearing the biggest hurdle of taking the train to the Kashmir valley.
"The geology is not stable, and we don't have very solid rocks here to do lot of blasting and drilling."
"It's a very loose type of material; specially in case of laying the foundation of the bridges and tunnels, a lot of problems are faced," said BP Awasthi, Deputy Chief Engineer, Northern Railway.
Work on the 55 km Jammu-Udhampur track, which took two decades to complete, was finished in 2004.
Thereafter, construction began on the 142-km Katra-Qazigund line, which was the most difficult section of the project that passes through the Pir Panjal ranges.
Vaishnodevi shrine untouched by quake
Sunday,
October 09, 2005 Published by Chennai Online NEWS
Jammu, Oct 9:
No damage has been caused to Vaishnodevi shrine due the massive earthquake that wreaked havoc in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday and the yatra is continuing uninterrupted, officials said here today.
The shrine, which is thronged by nearly 40,000 devotees daily during the ongoing Navratra festival, was "untouched" by the quake, the Additional Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) of Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board, Puneet Kumar, said.
There were no casualties either in the base camp of Katra or along the 13-km hilly track leading to the cave shrine located in Trikuta mountains, he said.
"The cave shrine and over hundred odd structures, hotels and pilgrims survived the nature's fury," he said adding the pilgrimage is continuing smoothly and uninterrupted.
Over 1.5 lakh pilgrims have visited cave shrine during Navratra, Kumar said. (Agencies)
Vaishnodevi Yatra suspended due to heavy rush of pilgrims
14 AUGUST 2005 Published by Zee News Gathered by Staff Reporter
JAMMU, AUGUST 14: Heavy rush of pilgrims at the cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi on sunday led authorities to suspend the yatra at the base camp of Katra even as patrolling was intensified with helicopters recce in the mountainous area on the eve of Independence Day. "In view of heavy rush at Bhawan, enroute cave shrine and Katra base camp, Vaishnodevi Yatra has been temporarily suspended at Katra to clear the rush today," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Katra, R Mehra told a news agency. There is a rush over 43,000 pilgrims at Bhawan, Adhkuwari and enroute, he said adding till this afternoon, 18,000 'darshan' slips have been issued. "Taking into consideration the pressure at Bhawan and enroute and the security situation due to Independence Day celebration tomorrow, Yatra was suspended," he said. Soon after the clearance of the rush, Yatra would resume again, they said adding pilgrims coming from different parts of the country are advised to stay put their visit at Katra till the rush is cleared. Security too has been beefed up in and around the shrine and choppers have done a recee in Trikuta Hills - abode of the cave shrine, he said. "Security has been beefed up in and around the holy cave shrine with all security posts enroute put on high alert on the eve of Independence Day," he said.
Pen bomb recovered from Vaishnodevi
PTI, FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2005 12:57:19 PM
JAMMU: Security has been briefed up in and around the Vaishnodevi Devi shrine in Trikuta hills following the recovery of a pen bomb from the premises, police today said. "The security has been beefed up in and around the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi with all the security posts enroute put on high alert," Senior Superintendent of Police, Udhampur, Rajesh Kumar said. Besides, round the clock patrolling in the holy town of Katra, there would be security deployment along the route of the shrine to foil any militant designs, he said. Kumar said a pen bomb without explosives was found from a checking point near the 'Bhawan' of the shrine yesterday. "When the pen was pressed, it vibrated as it was fitted with a small battery," Kumar said adding it did not contain explosives or detonator. No arrests have, however, been made in this connection, he said adding as an additional security measure in view of the coming Independence Day celebrations carrying pens to the shrine has been banned.
Kalam visits Vaishnodevi
MSN
News: Katra, J&K June 26, 2005
KATRA: President
APJ Abdul Kalam on Thursday became the first Muslim head of state to
visit the Vaishnodevi cave shrine, where he prayed for return of peace
to Jammu and Kashmir and also took part in an Aarti.
During his 35-minute stay at the holy shrine in Trikuta Hills, Kalam
also met the priests who presented him with special Prasad, official
sources said here.
Soon after presenting colours to state police at Udhampur, the President
flew by helicopter to Sanjichat in Trikuta Hills.
From the helipad, he walked two-and-half kilometres each way to the
cave shrine accompanied by Governor SK Sinha, the sources said.The entire
pilgrimage lasted two hours and 45 minutes, including the 10-minute
Aarti, they said.
(Source : Hindustantimes )
2.25 lakh visit Vaishnodevi during Navratras
Tribune News Service,
Jammu, October 23
A record number of over 2.25 lakh pilgrims have visited the Vaishnodevi shrine during the Navratras despite threats that terrorists might attack the pilgrimage. The Navratras concluded yesterday not only peacefully, but a lot of enthusiasm was witnessed among the pilgrims who came from various parts of the country. Mr Rohit Kansal, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the shrine board, said he was expecting that the last year’s record of 54 lakh pilgrims visiting the shrine would be broken this time as the number might touch 60 lakhs. He said for the first time a number of NRIs and foreigners visited the shrine during the Navratras. The board was planning to open information counters abroad to attract foreigners here. Mr Kansal said the initiative of the board to get the gold offerings minted into coins bearing the image of the deity had been a big success with souvenirs weighing about 2 kg being picked up every month by the devotees. With the number of pilgrims multiplying every year, the board had taken steps to further improve the infrastructural facilities. A 700-bed accommodation was inaugurated at Katra last month. Another yatri bhavan had been constructed near the shrine. The visit to the shrine could now be planned on internet, he said. Mr Kansal said among the celebrities who visited the shrine during the Navratras included the Governor, Lt-Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha, Sonal Mansingh, Sonu Nigam, Jagjit Singh and Vikas Mohan.
