Vaishno Devi Shrine Board reconstituted, 8 members nominated for 3 years

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has reconstituted the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and nominated eight personalities, from various walks of life, as members for three years.

A notification approving the reorganization of the board was issued by Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, on March 15. The eight members include AIMIL Pharmaceuticals Chairman K K Sharma, Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj of Mumbai, retired IPS officer Ashok Bhan, retired IAS officer Baleshwar Rai and retired judge Suresh Kumar Sharma of Jammu.

Sharma has had a long association with the shrine board and has been contributing to the floral decoration of Maa Vaishno Devi on various occasions for more than two decades. On being nominated as a member, Sharma said he would try to facilitate a seamless journey for the devotees of Mata Vaishno Devi and a proposal would be moved in the Board meeting in this regard. "A proposal about the construction of ropeway from Katra to Ardhkumari and from Ardhkumari to Bhawan would be submitted.

Building an alternate route for the devotees to return after visiting the shrine would be emphasised," he said. Sharma also stressed exploring options to manage the crowd on the lines of Tirupati Balaji where arrangements have been made for the devotees to wait for their turn for darshan in waiting halls. The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is located at an altitude of 5,200 feet, about 12 km from Katra in Jammu district.