Planning to visit Mata Vaishno Devi? You've to cancel the trip - Here is why

Here is an important news for you if you have plans of visiting Vaishno Devi. Amid rising number of coronavirus cases in India, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday announced closure of the Vaishno Devi yatra and banning of all interstate buses as part of the precautionary measures to arrest the spread of coronavirus.

"Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been closed from today. Operations of all interstate buses -- incoming and outgoing from Jammu and Kashmir, banned from today," the Jammu and Kashmir Director of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) said in a tweet.

TWEET

#COVID19 #JammuAndKashmir
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra has been closed from today.
Operations of All Inter State Buses - Incoming and Outgoing from J&K, banned from today.@ANI @PIB_India @DDNewslive @airnewsalerts @kansalrohit69

— DIPR-J&K (@diprjk) March 18, 2020

The district administration in Udhampur suspended all modes of public transport, while two major parks including Bagh-e-Bahu in Jammu and all public parks in Poonch district have been closed till further orders, officials said.

Meanwhile, the Taj Mahal has been closed for tourists from Tuesday onwards amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. Officials said that the decision was communicated to them on Monday night by the Ministry of Tourism in New Delhi. 

The Taj Mahal has been a major attraction not only for tourists but also for visiting dignitaries and is responsible for keeping the local economy vibrant and growing. US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania had visited the Taj Mahal during his official visit to India last month.

Most schools and entertainment facilities, including cinemas, have already been closed across India.

Also, all ticketed monuments and museums have also been closed until March 31.