Violence Erupts as Workers Protest Mata Vaishno Devi Ropeway Project, Police Injured in Stone Attack

Katra(The Uttam Hindu): A new ropeway project will be starting in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir that would further facilitate Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims' travel. It has been established with the purpose of speeding up the journey of devotees to this holy shrine. The project would further provide the devotees a faster and safer mode of traveling. However, opposition by local workers has risen regarding this mega project.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has agreed upon a 12 kilometer ropeway between Sanjhi Chhat and Tarakote, which would incur ₹250 crores for completion. Though the plan gives good promise to better reach, the workers oppose some. The reports of the last two days say that it leads to violent protests by those who threw stones on some policemen.

Project Benefits: The ₹250 crore ropeway project is expected to make the pilgrimage experience much more accessible for devotees to reach the Vaishno Devi shrine. The new system will cut travel time from 7 hours to merely 1 hour, making it possible to travel in just 6 minutes from Katra to Sanjhi Chhat. The journey from Sanjhi Chhat to Vaishno Devi Bhawan will take 45 to 50 minutes, a significant reduction from the usual 6-7 hours of climbing. The project is expected to be completed by 2026 and has the capacity to carry approximately 1,000 passengers daily.