The shops and owner of Palanquin went on strike for three days. The protest began on Friday, shortly after the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board unveiled plans for a Rs 250 crore passenger ropeway project. The project will span from Tarakote Mark to Sanji Chhat.
According to media sources, on the third day of the strike, hundreds of retailers and laborers attended a protest demonstration against the proposed ropeway project.
The protestors sat outside the office of subdivisional magistrate and Shalimar Park in Katra. The protestors held the sit-in and raised the slogans against the shrine board and against the plan proposed for ropeway project.
According to officials, The people protesting against the project held the protest rally along the traditional trek route. They demanded the withdrawal of the project, as per media reports.
Most of the shops which is along the trek route were closed on the third day, while the owner of pony and palanquin didn’t provided any service. Due to this it caused hardship to the devotees, but the pilgrimage continued.
The Vaishno Devi shrine is located at altitude of 5 thousand 300 feet above sea level. Devotees needs to climb about 13 kilometers to reach Bhawan, from the base camp Katra. Climbing on foot is not necessary to reach the temple of Mata Vaishno Devi.
Devotees can also ride a horse, mule, palanquin which are available to go from Katra to Bhawan. Also, there is a regular helicopter based service. Devotees will have to travel 2.5 kilometers on foot from Sanjhi Chhat.
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Source: News24
