Jammu Tawi: Just days before the start of Navratri on March 19, serious concerns have been raised over the arrangements for devotees visiting the revered Bahu Fort Temple, popularly known as Mata Bawe Wali Mandir, located at the historic Bahu Fort.
Locals and members of the Bahu Fort Development Committee raised several issues affecting both pilgrims and residents including traffic congestion, lack of cleanliness and absence of basic facilities for devotees coming from outside Jammu.
Rajeev Charak, President of the Bahu Fort Development Committee, said that traffic management remains one of the biggest challenges during Navratri. According to him, the temple attracts thousands of devotees every day during the festival, which often leads to heavy traffic jams in the surrounding areas.
He pointed out that while traffic personnel are usually present during the day, their duty hours generally end in the evening. However, during Navratri, pilgrims continue to visit the shrine throughout the day and night, making proper round-the-clock traffic regulation essential.
Charak also raised concerns about sanitation around the temple premises, saying that garbage accumulation and poor maintenance often create inconvenience for visitors. He urged the Jammu Municipal Corporation and other authorities to ensure better cleanliness during the festival when the number of devotees increases significantly.
Another major issue highlighted was the absence of shelter homes or waiting halls for pilgrims arriving from other districts and states. Many devotees are forced to wait on roadsides due to the lack of proper resting facilities near the shrine.
Raising a broader issue related to the management of the temple, Charak said that a long-term solution could be the formation of a Shrine Board for the shrine. He said that earlier administrations had also been approached with this suggestion.
According to him, if a Shrine Board is established, the government and administration would be able to directly oversee the management and development of the shrine, ensuring better facilities for devotees. He also emphasized that such an important religious place should not remain under the control of any private family but should be managed through a transparent and structured system.
With Navratri approaching and thousands of devotees expected to visit Mata Bawe Wali Mandir, local residents and members of the development committee have urged the administration to take immediate steps to improve traffic management, sanitation and basic facilities to ensure a smooth and comfortable pilgrimage for devotees.
