A complete shutdown was observed on Wednesday in Katra, the base town for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage, as locals protested against a proposed ₹250-crore ropeway project.
The project aims to connect Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat in Reasi district to make the 13-km trek easier for pilgrims, especially senior citizens and children. However, residents fear it will impact over 60,000 families dependent on the pilgrimage, including pony operators, shopkeepers, palanquin bearers, and other small businesses.
The Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, leading the protests, organised a large rally starting from Shalimar Park.
Participants wore black armbands, carried placards, and raised slogans against the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, which approved the project last month.
The project threatens the livelihoods of thousands of families alleged the protesters comprising ponywallas, porters and shopkeepers amongst others. They said if the government wants to go ahead with the project, it must compensate them for the loss of livelihood.
They vowed to continue the protests until their demands are met.
Former minister Jugal Kishore Sharma also criticised the government for not addressing the issue by the December 15 deadline.
Protesters are demanding that the project be cancelled and have sought written assurance from senior government officials, including the Lieutenant Governor or the Home Minister. To escalate the agitation, five protestors began a hunger strike.
The protests brought life in Katra to a standstill, with minimal vehicular movement and a shutdown of local businesses.
Earlier demonstrations were put on hold after authorities promised to address the concerns, but the issue remains unresolved. Protesters clarified that they are not against development but believe the ropeway could harm the region’s economy by reducing pilgrim-related jobs and businesses.
Karan Singh, a Congress worker, stated that the authorities have requested time to address the protesters' demands. He mentioned, "The leaders of the Samiti were informed that due to recent transfers, Reasi has a new deputy commissioner, and she needs time to understand the issue." Singh also expressed that the Congress party supports the protesters' demands and suggested that if the government agrees to compensate those whose livelihoods would be affected by the project, there will be no opposition to the project.