Sangharsh Samiti extends bandh against ropeway project by 72 hours in Katra

KATRA: The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti on Friday night extended the bandh by 72 hours to press for the fulfilment of their demands, including shelving the proposed ropeway project and releasing detained protesters in Katra, the base camp of the Mata Vaishno Devi temple.

Katra observed a complete shutdown for the third consecutive day on Friday in protest against the proposed ropeway project in the Trikuta hills of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.

Several women and children joined the dharna as youths continued their hunger strike for the third day, demanding the release of several individuals detained by police during earlier demonstrations in the holy town.

“It was decided by the samiti to extend the bandh by 72 hours. They are demanding that the ropeway project in Trikuta hills be scrapped and the detained persons released immediately,” former minister Jugal Kishore Sharma told reporters.

He added, “All parties, whether political or part of the samiti, are on the same page in this agitation. Representatives from different parties are present here. Everyone is united in their fight against the ropeway project.”

Sharma reiterated that the agitation would be further strengthened in the coming days.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, which called for the shutdown on Wednesday, announced that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during the bandh.

With black flags installed across the town, shops, restaurants, and other business establishments remained closed for the third day, and vehicular movement came to a standstill.

The 72-hour-long bandh, which began on Wednesday, has disrupted normal life in one of India’s busiest pilgrimage hubs, visited daily by thousands of devotees seeking blessings at the cave shrine.

“The bandh is part of our peaceful protest against the ropeway project. The committee will decide on the next course of action soon,” said a samiti spokesperson.

Criticising the administration for its lack of engagement, the spokesperson said, “The administration is indifferent to the plight of people, including women and children, holding peaceful protests. Our simple demand is to shelve the project as it threatens the livelihood of Katra residents, most of whom rely on the pilgrimage economy.”

He further alleged that instead of initiating dialogue, the administration resorted to force, including the detention of samiti leaders during a peaceful protest.

One of the youths on hunger strike, Shiva, had to be hospitalised after his condition deteriorated.

Six youths began a hunger strike on Wednesday night, demanding the release of 18 members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti detained during a protest march against the ropeway project.

Last month, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board announced plans to install a Rs 250-crore ropeway to facilitate access to the temple, especially for senior citizens, children, and others unable to traverse the 13-km-long trek to the cave shrine.

To mitigate the impact of the bandh, the shrine board has arranged boarding and lodging for pilgrims. Special langars at the Katra railway station, Banganga, and Tarakote are providing tea and milk to ensure the yatra continues smoothly on both tracks for the third day.

However, many pilgrims expressed dissatisfaction over the closure of eateries and the unavailability of local transport.