Protesters raised slogans against the Vaishno Devi Ropeway project in Katra.
Local shopkeepers and laborers staged protests for the fourth consecutive day on Monday against the Vaishnodevi ropeway project in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra. The demonstrators raised slogans against the Shree Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board. The police tried to stop them. Meanwhile, there was a scuffle between the two. One policeman was injured.
The demonstrators had earlier staged a protest rally outside the magistrate's office. A protest was then held outside Shalimar Park. In fact, a base camp has been set up in Shalimar Park itself for those visiting Vaishnodevi.
Protesters alleged that the rope-way project to transport devotees to the temple would affect the business of local shopkeepers on the existing route. Traders who take devotees to the temple on palanquins and horses said that the new project will cost Rs. It is being built at a cost of 250 crores. After its construction, devotees will go through the rope-way. Our livelihood will be taken away.
According to media reports, apart from the demonstration, shopkeepers and palanquins also announced a 3-day strike. The strike, which started on November 22, has now been extended by one more day.
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Demonstrators vandalized vehicles. A policeman was injured in the violence.
Police personnel were deployed as the demonstration turned violent.
Protesters vandalized during the protest rally.
Demonstrators said – Every shopkeeper, laborer should get compensation of ₹20 lakh
Labor union president Bhupinder Singh Jamwal and Shiv Sena (UBT) state president Manish Sahni also participated in the demonstration. He has demanded a compensation of ₹20 lakh for each citizen affected by the ropeway project. Apart from this, he was also asked to make a rehabilitation plan for the affected people.
The new rope-way project will make a journey of 7 hours in 1 hour
- Shri Vaishno Devi Mandir Shrine Board Chief Executive Officer Anshul Garg said that the new ropeway project worth Rs 250 crore has received the green signal.
- Under this, it will take only 6 minutes to go from Katra to Sanjichhat. After this one can reach Vaishno Devi Bhavan in 45 to 50 minutes.
- At present it takes 6-7 hours for devotees to reach the temple. It will take only 1 hour for the devotee after the completion of the project. A ropeway can transport 1000 people from one place to another in an hour.
So far in 2024, 84 lakh people have had darshan
This year till October more than 86 lakh people have reached Vaishnodevi for darshan. Officials of the Shrine Board say that the figure will reach over 1 crore. Last year more than 95 lakh people had darshan.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
