Strike against Ropeway project continues in Katra
Jammu: Hundreds of pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra faced difficulties as a 72-hour strike by local stakeholders entered its third day.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the strike, which began on Friday, is being led by shopkeepers and owners of ponies and palanquins against the ropeway project that connects Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along a 12-km route to the shrine.
Business establishments along the pilgrimage route remains shut, and pony and palanquin services were suspended, causing significant hardships for pilgrims.
The protesters held a peaceful sit-in at Shalimar Park in Katra, demanding a proper rehabilitation plan for those affected. The protestors fear that the proposed Rs 250-crore ropeway project will render them jobless.
Shopkeepers and service providers, who rely on the pilgrim trade, warned they would continue the strike unless the project is shelved. “We have been protesting for three years. If our demands aren’t met, we will intensify the strike,” said Prabhat Singh, leader of the shopkeepers’ association.
Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Jamwal, addressing the protesters, urged the government to provide financial aid and rehabilitation for workers. “The ropeway project will take away livelihoods. We demand Rs 20 lakh for each affected person,” he said.
