To open new path to Vaishno Devi, Supreme Court stays NGT’s direction.

The directions were issued while NGT was hearing a plea filed by activist Gauri Maulekhi seeking to remove horses and mules from the path to the shrine, saying it was dangerous for pedestrians, especially senior citizens.

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) order directing opening of a new path to Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu for pedestrians and battery-operated cars from November 24.  After the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board told the apex court that it was not possible to open the new path from November 24, a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta passed the order.

He told the court that two paths to the shrine were already operational and this is the third path which is being built by the Board.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Board, told the bench that the construction work of the new path was going on and it would be opened in February end next year.