JAMMU: The annual pilgrim footfall at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district dropped below the 70-lakh mark in 2025, reflecting a sharp decline attributed to security incidents and prolonged weather-related disruptions, officials said.
According to official figures, around 68.85 lakh devotees had paid obeisance at the shrine till December 28, with an estimated 70,000 more pilgrims expected in the remaining days of the year due to the New Year rush. Even then, the total is likely to remain well below last year’s 94.84 lakh, marking a decline of over 27 per cent.
Officials said the drop was largely due to a series of setbacks during the year. The Pahalgam terror attack in April, which claimed 26 lives, led to heightened security measures across the region. This was followed by Operation Sindoor in May, when Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan, escalating border tensions.
Adding to the challenges, a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall along the yatra track near Katra on August 26 killed 35 pilgrims and damaged a crucial stretch of the route. The incident forced authorities to suspend the pilgrimage for nearly three weeks during August–September, traditionally a high-footfall period.
“Pilgrim safety remains our top priority. Suspension of the yatra was based on real-time assessments of weather and track conditions,” a Shrine Board official said, adding that infrastructure upgrades, disaster preparedness, and enhanced surveillance continued despite the disruptions.
Official data shows April recorded the highest footfall with 9.81 lakh pilgrims, while September saw the lowest at 1.85 lakh amid record rainfall. December has seen over 4.71 lakh pilgrims so far.
Historically, pilgrim numbers have seen steady growth since the Shrine Board took over in 1986, peaking at 1.04 crore in 2012, before witnessing periodic declines due to political unrest, natural calamities, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite the downturn in 2025, authorities said the yatra was resumed after safety audits, restoration work, and additional deployment of security forces, with continuous monitoring of weather advisories to ensure the safety of devotees.
