Katra/Jammu, May 14 — Helicopter services to the revered Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district resumed on Wednesday, a week after being suspended due to heightened military tensions between India and Pakistan. As per agency report, the resumption comes just a day after flight operations were restored at 32 airports, including those in Jammu and Srinagar, following a mutual ceasefire agreement between the two neighboring countries.
An official from the temple management board confirmed that the helicopter service, which had been halted amid regional tensions, is now operational again. He noted that the number of pilgrims had significantly decreased during the suspension, but has shown signs of recovery since the situation stabilized.
In addition to the helicopter services, battery-operated car facilities have also resumed for the convenience of pilgrims traveling along the path to the shrine. The board official stated that over 3 million devotees have visited the temple so far this year. In comparison, the total number of pilgrims in 2024 stood at 9.48 million. Officials remain optimistic that the footfall will rise significantly in the coming weeks.
Shubham Kumar, a pilgrim from Delhi, expressed satisfaction over the restoration of helicopter services and appreciated the arrangements made by the shrine authorities to accommodate visitors smoothly.
