A happy news for the visiting pilgrims to Shree Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine is that the prestigious and much desired Bhawan – Bhairon ropeway project has become operational since December 24 and now paying obeisance at Bhairon Temple will involve no hassles. All safety and security measures associated with the project have been taken care of meticulously. However, reiterating the need of providing security and safety to pilgrims visiting Shree Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, Governor Satya Pal Malik has, in this connection, called for leaving nothing to chance. Introducing any new facility or device based on high technology carried with it the inalienable part of using the same for the benefit of the people sans any risk of safety and security. We know about the unfortunate and probably avoidable tragedy that struck Panchkula ropeway (Haryana) and had safety norms been kept on priority, the untoward incident would have not taken place there. Governor, who happens to be Chairman of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, as such, called upon the officials of the Shrine Board to keep safety of the pilgrims high on their agenda while operating the prestigious and high-tech Bhawan Bhairon Ghati Passenger ropeway. It is heartening to note the ropeway has the capacity of carrying as many as 800 persons per hour and is fitted with pilgrim centric facilities too. It has two fully enclosed spacious cabins with a carrying capacity of 40- 45 persons in each cabin in one go.
It is noteworthy that every pilgrim visiting Mata Vaishno Devi Ji devoutly desires to fulfil one’s life long wish to pay obeisance at Bhairon Ji Temple but it is not that easy because of steep climb of nearly 6600 feet altitude from the sea level. With operation of this ropeway project, the pilgrims especially the elderly and specially able(d), can easily reach at the doors of the temple and hence fulfil the dream. To ensure that every pilgrim afforded the ride, a nominal ticket of Rs.100 to and fro per passenger, has been decided to be charged by the Shrine Board so that the highly subsidized rate could enable maximum number of pilgrims to avail of this facility.
The need of this facility was being felt by the pilgrims to cut down on time besides being enjoyable and therefore one more added facility stands provided to make the pilgrimage more comfortable which has the potential of an appreciable increase in the yatra as also the brightest possibilities of diverting the influx of pilgrims to other tourist places, should an ambitious plan proposed by the Government in this regard see the light of the day at the earliest. The ambitious plan comprises interlinking the spots of tourism interest to facilitate visit of pilgrim tourists to other places and even if a fraction of the pilgrim tourists visit such spots, it would make a huge difference. It may be noted that the ropeway project has the distinction of being the first of its kind in entire Jammu region. The project has been completed at a total cost of Rs.85 crores and is reported to have been constructed at par with European standards having all the requisite safety norms. It was imperative that besides the ropeway facilities being hassles free, relief and rescue operations must match international standards. It is reported that during trial, all the safety concerns have been duly addressed which were successful.
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