Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister (CM) Dr Mohan Yadav on Thursday arrived in Katra as part of an official visit aimed at studying crowd management systems and public facilities at revered religious destinations. During this, he reached the Vaishno Devi shrine and offered prayers to the Goddess, following which he reviewed the arrangements ensured for devotees visiting the temple. 

During his visit, the Chief Minister was accompanied by a delegation tasked with examining administrative practices and service mechanisms at religious institutions. Notably, several such teams have also been dispatched to different parts of the country to study how pilgrimage sites manage huge influx of devotees and maintain public amenities efficiently. 

Focus laid on developing effective religious management systems

Addressing media-persons after reaching Katra, CM Dr Yadav said the purpose of the visit was to comprehend how a more organised and effective model for religious institutions could be developed in Madhya Pradesh. He noted that the state government intends to adopt the best practices for managing pilgrims, ramping up public services and streamlining religious activities at key spiritual sites. 

The state’s top political leader claimed that the study would benefit institutions such as the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain, Omkareshwar temple and the historic Bhojshala. Referring to Bhojshala, he said the Madhya Pradesh High Court (HC) had recently recognised it as a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi. 

CM praises well-ensured arrangements at Vaishno Devi temple

CM Dr Yadav further said that multiple teams from MP have been sent to different regions of the country to analyse local administrative frameworks and religious management systems. He said it is aimed at identifying models which can enhance convenience, safety and accessibility for pilgrims. 

Towards the end, he highlighted the facilities available at the Vaishno Devi shrine, saying he had been informed that, apart from temple management, institutions such as a university, a medical college and several service-oriented programmes were functioning there. He lauded the well-planned arrangements for devotees, which ensure smooth and comfortable access for pilgrims arriving to pay obeisance to the Goddess.