Vaishno Devi Shrine Board begins talks with stakeholders over ropeway project

In a bid to reach a consensus and bring an end to the stalemate over the proposed ropeway project between Tarakote Marg and Sanji Chhat, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, on Tuesday, started negotiations with the stakeholders.
“The process of negotiation has started with the stakeholders and it will take some time to arrive at a unanimous consensus,” said a senior official of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.
On Tuesday, the chief executive officer of the shrine board, Anshul Garg, had held a meeting with a five-member delegation of the stakeholders from Katra town led by Sonu Thakur, a union leader.
Thakur said Katra tehsildar had on Monday said the shrine board CEO wants to meet a five-member delegation to discuss the issue (ropeway project), adding, “On Tuesday, we went to the shrine board’s central office and met the CEO. We informed him that we cannot take any decision on our own.”
The union leader said the protestors including ponywallas, pithuwallas, palanquin owners and shopkeepers have constituted a 10-member panel, five from Katra and five from Old Darur.
“We told the CEO that we have a proper 10-member panel that should be invited in the next few days. Today, there was no discussion on the project. We amply conveyed our stand that we are united,” he added.
It has been reliably learnt that under the ropeway project, the shrine board had kept a rider of not ferrying more than 5,000 pilgrims via ropeway. On average, 35,000 to 40,000 pilgrims daily reach Katra during the nine-day long Navratri festival.
The announcement of the ropeway project was being tipped as a game-changer for the elderly, persons with disability and medically unfit pilgrims.
“Trekking 13 km or riding on the back of a pony for an elderly pilgrim like me is impractical. The ropeway would surely be a boon for pilgrims like me,” said 64-year old Om Parkash Sharma of Sarwal locality.
Sharma’s movement has been curtailed ever since he was diagnosed with osteoarthritis three years ago.
While Shrine Board has decided to come up with ₹250 crores ropeway project, locals especially ponywallas, pithuwallas, palanquin owners and shopkeepers on Ban Ganga route have stifly opposed the project on the grounds that the ropeway project would render them jobless.
The project has been languishing since 2021 after locals from time to time objected to it.Once completed, the ropeway will cut the commute to a short six-minute trip.