Jammu, Feb. 19 -- Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of the much-anticipated Sri Shankaracharya temple at Katra. Perched atop hillocks beside the revered Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, this project takes root after decades, realizing a vision first envisioned in the 1960s.

Total expenditure for the temple complex, amounting to Rs.31.51 crore, will be fully borne by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB)

Sinha announced that the shrine board will construct 50 commercial shops within the temple complex, which will be allotted to the landowners who donated it for sacred cause. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the SMVDSB and the concerned landowners was executed in 2025,...