Jammu, May 21: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday dedicated the newly constructed Vaishnavi Bhawan at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine to the devotees, in a move aimed at augmenting accommodation facilities for the growing number of pilgrims.
The Lt Governor said the new facility, built under the shrine board’s comprehensive Master Plan, would significantly enhance the accommodation capacity at the Bhawan and improve overall pilgrim amenities with modern and efficient infrastructure.
The project involved redeveloping the Pannishalla area—earlier used for staff quarters—into a yatri-cum-staff accommodation complex, officials said.
Constructed over an area of approximately 45,784 sq ft, the new Vaishnavi Bhawan houses 78 well-furnished rooms for pilgrims, they added.
Work on the building commenced in February 2024 and was completed in two years, an official spokesperson said.
The ground floor includes a reception and waiting area, manager’s office, and staff mess with kitchen. A ‘Bhojanalaya’ has also been set up on the terrace to cater to pilgrims and staff, the spokesperson added.
The building is equipped with five lifts, including three passenger lifts with a 26-person capacity each, one service lift, and one connecting lift linking the facility with Parvati Bhawan.
Earlier, the Lt Governor paid obeisance at the shrine and prayed for peace, prosperity, and the well-being of all in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, including Mahamandleshwar Shri Swami Vishveshvaranand Giriji Maharaj, Dr Ashok Bhan, Suresh Kumar Sharma, Lalit Bhasin, Kulbushan Ahuja, and Dr Mandeep K Bhandari, along with senior civil, police, and shrine board officials, attended the inaugural ceremony. (KNS)
