Jammu. The famous Machail Mata Yatra to be held in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir has been postponed for three days due to bad weather. Now the administration has announced that if the weather is favourable, the yatra will be started from July 28. This time, many new rules have also been implemented to make the Yatra safe and organized, which include allowing only a limited number of devotees for darshan every day.
Only 8,000 devotees will be allowed daily
According to the district administration, during the Yatra, only a maximum of 8,000 devotees will be able to proceed towards Machail Mata Temple every day. Devotees will be allowed to travel only between 5:00 am to 5:00 pm. This system has been implemented keeping crowd control and security in mind.
Online registration and RFID mandatory
The administration has made online registration completely mandatory for the Yatra this year. RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system has also been implemented to monitor the movement of devotees. Under this, the journey of every passenger will be monitored, so that immediate assistance can be provided in case of emergency.
304.7 kilometer journey, last 1.7 kilometer on foot
To reach the Machail Mata temple situated at an altitude of about 9,705 feet above sea level, devotees have to cover a distance of about 304.7 kilometers from Jammu. Most of the journey is completed by road, while the last 1.7 kilometers to reach the temple have to be covered on foot.
Special emphasis on security after the tragedy of 2025
There was a cloudburst incident on August 14, 2025 in Chisoti village, the entrance gate of Machail Yatra, in which 63 people died. Most of the dead included devotees. Many people were injured and about 30 people went missing. In view of this incident, this year the security system has been strengthened more than before.
The doors of the temple will open on 25th July
According to the administration, the holy doors of the temple will be opened on July 25 as per religious traditions. During this time the priest and local people will perform traditional religious rituals. After this, the weather will be reviewed and if the conditions remain favourable, the yatra will be started for the devotees from July 28.
Many registration centers made for passengers
For the convenience of the devotees, two RFID registration centers have been set up at the Gauri Shankar Temple base camp in Sarkoot. Apart from this, about six registration centers have also been set up in Gulabgarh, where necessary formalities can be completed.
Multi-layered arrangements for security
Jammu and Kashmir Police, NDRF, SDRF, Indian Army and special police posts have been deployed to ensure security on the yatra route. Senior Superintendent of Police Naresh Singh has appealed to the devotees to carefully read the SOP issued before the yatra, follow the stipulated time and completely comply with the instructions of the administration.
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