Several pilgrims every year decide to end a year by visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine on December 31st. In 2024 too, the number of devotees visiting the revered Mata Vaishno Devi shrine increased significantly toward the end of December. The Board had earlier said it would strictly adhere to the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) guidelines, which cap the daily number of pilgrims at 50,000 and had added that only devotees with RFID cards will be permitted to proceed toward the Vaishno Devi Bhavan in view of the new year rush.
Talking about the footfall at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in 2024, Anshul Garg the CEO of SMVDSB said that 94.83 lakh pilgrims pay obeisance at revered shrine, the second highest number in a decade. The pilgrim footfall at the shrine touched an all-time high of 1.04 crore in 2012. The number of pilgrims visiting the shrine dropped from 93.24 lakh in 2013 to 78.03 lakh in 2014, 77.76 lakh in 2015 and 77.23 lakh in 2016. It increased to 81.78 lakh in 2017 and 85.87 lakh in 2018 before dropping again in 2019 to 79.40 lakh.
According to reports, around 94.80 lakh pilgrims paid obeisance to Goddess Vaishno Devi Ji this year, just 42,000 less than the previous year when annual pilgrimage stood at 95.22 lakh.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) will install 200 new CCTV cameras along the pilgrimage route to ensure a safe and hassle-free experience for visitors, officials mentioned. To address safety concerns and streamline the darshan process amid the rising number of pilgrims, regular meetings are being held between the Shrine Board and the district administration. The Shrine Board reiterated its commitment to ensure a smooth and secure pilgrimage experience for all devotees during the year-end festivities.
