J-K: Strike against Vaishno Devi ropeway project enters second day, pilgrims face hardships

Jammu, Nov 23: Hundreds of pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district faced hardships as a 72-hour strike by local stakeholders against a proposed ropeway project entered the second day on Saturday.

The strike by shopkeepers, and pony and palanquin owners started on Friday amid apprehension that the ropeway project would render them jobless, officials said.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board recently decided to move forward with a Rs 250-crore passenger ropeway project between Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre track to the shrine after shelving the project in the past due to similar protests.

While shops and business establishments remained open in Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine, shopkeepers along the trek route downed shutters for the second day, the officials said.

Pony and palanquin owners also stayed away, causing hardships to many pilgrims during their journey.

The protesters assembled at Shalimar Park in Katra town and held a peaceful sit-in, raising slogans against the shrine board’s decision.

“The ropeway project will be completed within the next two years and lead to the loss of opportunity to earn livelihood for the service providers. The government should come out with a proper rehabilitation plan for the poor labourers who will get affected by this project,” senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Jamwal said in an address to the protesters.

Suggesting a financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh for each affected person, he said they would meet on Sunday to chalk out the future course of action.

The shopkeepers and pony and palanquin owners — who routinely assist thousands of pilgrims — are apprehensive that the ropeway will render them jobless.

“We will not allow the ropeway project to be implemented in Katra. We have been fighting against it for three years. Assurances were given to us in the past but now they have gone ahead with the project,” shopkeepers’ association leader Prabhat Singh said.

Asserting that the project would hurt the region’s economy, Singh said thousands of families relied on the earnings from business establishments and services for pilgrims.

“We have started our 72-hour strike. If they do not concede to our demand of shelving the project, we will continue with the strike,” he added.

Last week, the shrine board announced implementation of the long-awaited ropeway project to facilitate a safer and faster journey for the pilgrims.

“The ropeway project will be a game changer, especially for those pilgrims who find it challenging to undertake the steep trek to the shrine,” shrine board CEO Anshul Garg had said.