Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Oct 28: Local stakeholders once again took to the streets in Katra town today against the proposed Vaishno Devi ropeway project that will connect Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre-long steep track to the cave shrine in Trikuta Hills.
They also launched a chain hunger strike in support of their demand to permanently shelve this 250-crore project claiming that the ropeway would impact the livelihoods of over 60,000 families, especially hoteliers, shopkeepers, pony operators, and labourers.
They sat on a dharna carrying the picture of Mata Vaishno Devi and banners saying “No to Ropeway”, and raised slogans demanding that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board put an end to the proposed ropeway project.
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They warned that the protests will continue until the ropeway project is shelved. “We will get the support of the people of Katra, Sangharsh Samiti, Yuva Rajput Sabha, and the Chamber of Commerce. We met all of them, and they promised us support in our fight against the ropeway,” they said.
The protesters claimed that the Divisional Commissioner Jammu had promised them 10 months ago that the decision on the ropeway would be taken after consulting the locals. “But the administration has gone back on its promise. That is why we are back on the roads. Today, we have joined the hunger strike; tomorrow, others will join it. The administration should realise the gravity of the issue and take measures to address our demand,” said a protestor.
It may be recalled that Katra had observed a week-long total shutdown and protests in December last year amid a chain hunger strike by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti in support of their demand for shelving of the project.
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