Hotels and Restaurants Association Katra have claimed that CEO of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has acceded to their request that no repeated COVID test would be done at Katra for those Yatries whose test would have been done within 48 hours with its negative report. A delegation of the Association, comprising of its President Rakesh Wazir, Chairman Shyam Lal Kesar, Sr Vice President Virender Kesar,Vice Presidents Ajay Kotwal and Nishant Sharma, called on CEO Ramesh Kumar and urged him to ensure that there may not be repeated Covid test of pilgrims coming from outside J&K and the test done by them at their native places would be acceptable and no repeated test would be done at Katra for those Yatries whose test would have been done with 48 hours with its negative report. According to a statement by the Association, the CEO informed that he had already discussed with the District Administration that keeping in view the convenience of pilgrims, there would be no lock down at Katra and enroute Bhawan and shops and other establishments will remain open for the facilitation of pilgrims. Wazir requested that certain more modifications are required to be made in the SOPs/guidelines issued by the Government of J&K vis-à-vis Shrine Board and requested for getting those amended from the concerned. Demanding that quota of pilgrims should be filled in such a way that it remains open for all, he also requested for increasing the overall number of pilgrims since there is sufficient infrastructure at Katra/Bhawan. “The minimum figure should be increased from 2000 to 10,000 initially and be increased gradually,’ he added. “There is no need of binding on number of pilgrims being allowed for Darshan to Maa Vaishnodevi ji because all of them are tested Covid negative and hence there is no risk in making the number unlimited,’ he explained. Kesar, while speaking on the occasion, said that final SOPs /guidelines should be advertised properly so that pilgrims coming from within and outside UT should have proper knowledge of those guidelines and Yatra as used to be regulated from Katra base camp. Virender Kesar asked for allowing of Pithus and Helpers with proper Covid testing for the convenience of the pilgrims. He further asked for opening of SMVD stadium for the Katra people with adhering of all Stadium related guidelines.
