Strike against Vaishno Devi ropeway extended by 24 hours

Hundreds of shopkeepers and labourers took out a protest march on Sunday, the third day of their strike against a proposed ropeway project along the trek route to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, as the organisers extended the strike by 24 hours, officials said.

Earlier, protesters held a sit-in outside the office of the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine. They raised slogans against the shrine board and the ropeway project, which they feel would render them jobless.

The three-day strike by shopkeepers, and pony and palanquin owners started on Friday after the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board announced plans to proceed with a Rs 250-crore passenger ropeway project between Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre track.

“The 72-hour strike has been extended by another 24 hours. We will meet again and announce our future course of action,” a member of the joint committee of shopkeepers and pony and palanquin owners said.

The protesters held a peaceful rally along the traditional trek route, demanding immediate withdrawal of the proposal or proper rehabilitation of all families likely to be affected by the project, the officials said.

Manish Sahni, UT chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), along with other party leaders joined the protest going on at the Banganga Deori and main market. Sahni said there is a threat of livelihood of thousands of shopkeepers, porters and horse service providers on the traditional route.

Congress leader and labourers’ union president Bhupinder Singh Jamwal said the government should come out with a rehabilitation plan for the affected people and suggested a financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh for each person affected due to the ropeway.