Senior police, civil officers review arrangements for annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Yatra

Jammu: Senior police and civil officers on Tuesday reviewed the security, transport and other arrangements for the annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Yatra which is scheduled to take place in Kashmir later this month, an official spokesperson said.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner (DC) Ramesh Kumar and Additional Director General of Police Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh chaired a meeting which was attended by functionaries of different departments besides the representatives of Mata Kheer Bhawani Committee, the spokesperson said.
The Yatra will start on May 26 after its flagging off from Nagrota here, the Committee members informed the meeting and called for making available hassle-free transportation services for the pilgrims.
Kheer Bhawani melas are organised at five shrines — Ragnya Bhagwati at Tulmulla in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal, Manzgam and Devsar in Kulgam and Logripora in Anantnag and Tikkar in Kupwara.
Among these temples, the Tulmulla temple nestled in the shade of mammoth Chinar trees witnesses massive gatherings with pandits settled in and outside Kashmir visiting the shrine to seek the blessings of the presiding deity in one of the biggest religious functions of the displaced community.
The spokesperson said a threadbare discussion was held regarding the arrangements for Yatra with a major focus on transportation facilities for devotees and security arrangements.
The Committee members listed different requirements for the smooth conduct of the Yatra from Jammu to Mata Kheer Bhawani temple at Ganderbal district, he said, adding it was informed that the advance party of the management committee will move on May 22 for making arrangements at the temple.
The DC directed the Relief Commissioner and JK Roads Transport Corporation to deploy an adequate number of buses to ferry the pilgrims to the temple.
Kumar also issued directions for effective traffic regulation and foolproof security arrangements for the safety of the pilgrims, the spokesperson said.
He said the health department has been asked to establish medical camps and make arrangements for an ambulance at Government Higher Secondary School Nagrota, the Yatra flag-off venue.
The DC instructed the Deputy Commissioners of Udhampur and Ramban to make community kitchen arrangements in designated places near Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
The Deputy Commissioner of Ramban was also told to ensure that road clearance machinery is in place in case of landslides or road blockades, the spokesperson said.