Protest on hold until Dec 23 following local administration’s assurance
Nishikant Khajuria
KATRA, Dec 18: Katra witnessed a full shutdown today amid significant protest actions by local stakeholders opposing the planned Mata Vaishno Devi Ropeway Project from Tarakote to Sanji Chhat.
All shops and commercial establishments along the Mata Vaishno Devi route and throughout Katra were closed, and traditional services such as palanquins, ponies, and pithoos for pilgrims were also halted, crippling normal activities.
To maintain order during the protest, the local administration had deployed a substantial number of police officers. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti called for this shutdown in response to the proposed ropeway project linking Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat near the Shrine Bhawan.
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Protesters, including local business owners, asserted that the proposed ropeway would threaten their livelihoods and are demanding the cancellation of the project. They are also insisting that the Delhi-Katra Expressway should not extend beyond the town.
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An extensive rally, supported by various organizations, was organized by the Sangharsh Samiti from Shalimar Park to Asia Chowk, where a sit-in demonstration occurred.
Carrying placards and donning black armbands, hundreds of locals, including shopkeepers, service providers, and community members, participated in the protest, chanting slogans against the Shrine Board.
During the demonstration, former Minister Jugal Kishore Sharma labeled the ropeway project as a threat to the economic interests of Katra residents, urging the officials to prioritize the locals’ livelihoods and engage in dialogue before advancing the project.
Congress leader Jai Sid Bhalla criticized the administration for neglecting public concerns, warning that the ropeway project would concentrate benefits, disadvantaging local service providers.
Senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh stressed the importance of traditional services such as palanquins and ponies in supporting the pilgrimage economy, calling on the Government to safeguard these services instead of replacing them with modern infrastructure. Yuva Rajput Sabha leader Happy Singh extended full support to the Sangharsh Samiti, arguing that the ropeway project threatens Katra’s cultural and economic identity.
Subsequently, Deputy Commissioner Reasi, Nidhi Malik, and SSP Reasi, Paramvir Singh, met with members of the Sangharsh Samiti and other stakeholders. In a constructive discussion, protestors presented two main demands: the cancellation of the Ropeway Project and the discontinuation of the Expressway extension beyond Katra.
Following these discussions, the Sangharsh Samiti decided to temporarily suspend the protest until December 23. However, they warned that protests would resume if their demands are not met within the given timeframe.
It is noteworthy that the Samiti had previously halted protests after receiving assurances from the local administration for a resolution by December 15, but resumed agitation when no action was taken on their primary demand.
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