Reasi: A shutdown in Katra, the base camp for the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir, against a proposed ropeway project entered its second day on Thursday, with the protesters sitting on a hunger strike to press for the release of those detained by police the day before.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti has called for a 72-hour shutdown, which commenced on Wednesday, announcing that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during the bandh.
“The bandh will continue until the government shelves the ropeway project. It is an assault on the livelihoods of most Katra residents, who are dependent on the pilgrimage economy,” a samiti spokesperson said.
Last month, the board decided to install the ropeway to facilitate access to the temple for senior citizens, children and others who find it difficult to climb the 13-km-long track to the cave shrine.
The samiti which claims to represent shopkeepers, pony operators and palanquin owners, claimed that the ropeway would destroy the livelihoods of local business owners and demanded that the project be scrapped.
For the second consecutive day on Thursday, all shops, restaurants and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the holy town.
The bandh has affected normal life in Katra.
A samiti member said that instead of holding talks with them, the administration is using force, including detaining their leaders during a peaceful protest. “They are deliberately creating such a situation with their attitude,” he said.
Six of the protestors sat on a hunger strike on Wednesday night, demanding the release of 18 samiti members who were detained during a protest march against the ropeway project.
“We demand their release. If the samiti members were demonstrating peacefully, they should not have been detained. We will continue the hunger strike until those detained individuals are released,” said one of the protestors participating in the hunger strike.
Several protesters, including two leaders of the Samiti — Bhupinder Singh and Sohan Chand — were detained by police and taken away in a police vehicle from the protest site during Wednesday’s march.
In Udhampur, some people held protests against the Shrine Board and the government, criticising their failure to address the demands of Katra residents and seeking the release of the detained individuals.
The proposed Rs 250-crore ropeway project will connect Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat, leading to the cave shrine in Reasi district.
Faced with difficulties due to the bandh, the Shrine Board has made arrangements for the boarding and lodging of the pilgrims arriving in the town.
“Over 93 lakh yatris have paid obeisance at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine this year,” said Anshul Garg, CEO of the Shrine Board, on X.
He added that special langars set up by the Shrine Board at the Katra railway station, Banganga and Tarakote are offering tea and milk to pilgrims, ensuring the yatra continues smoothly on both tracks.
However, pilgrims undertaking the journey to the cave shrine expressed displeasure over the shutdown of eateries and the lack of local transport, which caused significant inconvenience.
“We want the protesters to call off the bandh as it is affecting our pilgrimage. If this continues, there will be cancellations by pilgrims travelling from outside,” said one pilgrim.
Another devotee emphasised that eating points, local transport, and lodges should be kept out of the bandh, as it is causing significant hardship.
“The bandh is causing huge inconvenience to the pilgrims,” another devotee added.
A team of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress was stopped on Thursday by police from proceeding to Katra to extend support to the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, which is protesting against the proposed ropeway project.
The shutdown against the proposed ropeway project in the Trikuta Hills entered its second day, with youths launching a hunger strike to demand the release of several individuals detained during protests in Katra, the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.
Police intercepted the delegation, led by J&K Congress working president Raman Bhalla and former J&K minister Yogesh Sawhney, at the Ban toll plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
“We were on our way to Katra to express solidarity with the people fighting for their demands. However, police stopped us at the Ban toll plaza without providing any reason. We do not know why we are being stopped here,” Bhalla said.
Condemning the detention of several persons during the peaceful bandh, Bhalla termed it an unfortunate step. “Instead of resolving the issue through dialogue with the protesting leadership, the authorities are complicating matters,” he said.
He also stated that the bandh has severely affected the pilgrimage of devotees travelling from various parts of the country.
“Our visit was aimed at observing the arrangements being made by the Shrine Board to facilitate a better yatra experience for devotees,” Bhalla added.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti has called for a 72-hour shutdown starting Wednesday, declaring that all activities in Katra will remain suspended during the bandh.
Six youths began a hunger strike on Wednesday night, demanding the release of 18 members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, who were detained during a protest march against the ropeway project in Katra.
Last month, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board announced plans for a ropeway project to assist senior citizens, children, and others who face difficulty climbing the 13-km-long track to the cave shrine.
The proposed Rs 250-crore ropeway project will connect Tarakote Marg to Sanjichhat, providing easier access to the cave shrine located in the Reasi district.
