x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   Dr Andrabi welcomes first batch of Amarnath Ji Yatris | Adopt zero tolerance approach towards illegal mining in J&K: Dy CM to Officers | Transport Commissioner inspects driving test centre, RTO office Srinagar | Freight unloading at NFR holds steady growth during the month of June 2025 | Sadhotra seeks probe into non-utilization of bunker construction funds in border areas | Javed Rana, Javid Dar review irrigation scenario in JK | Illegal timber transportation foiled; truck seized | NIPCCD renamed as Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women, Child Development | Nominations for Padma Awards-2026 open till 31st July, 2025 | Extensive studies by ICMR, AIIMS on sudden deaths establish no linkage between COVID-19 vaccines | Cyber Cell solves online frauds, recovers money | Encounter breaks out between terrorists, security forces in Kishtwar | DB stays writ Court order to Repatriate 63-Year-Old Woman Deported to Pakistan | CCI president calls on LG Sinha | Amarnath ji pilgrims accorded rousing reception at Udhampur | SBSP president Vivek Bali welcomes first batch of Amarnath Yatra pilgrims | DC Poonch visits Gurudwara Deri Sahib Khari | ELI Scheme will be Game-Changer for Youth Employment & Economic Growth in country: Kavinder | ADC Bhaderwah reviews functioning of Tehsil Library | District Administration Ramban welcomes first batch of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2025 Pilgrims | Apni Party's deputation submits memorandum to DC Jammu | Dr Javid Iqbal honoured with two awards on Doctors' Day at GMC Rajouri | Police apprehends man with sharp-edged weapon | COAS visits Bhutan to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation | Suresh Sharma inspects roads in Maira Mandrian, ensures Monsoon readiness | Induction Training for newly promoted L/A-Headmasters inaugurated at Polytechnic College, Jammu | Udhampur police recovers Rs 1.13 lakh in 7 different cyber fraud cases | Special facilities arranged for Amarnath passengers by Railway Administration | Doda police traced out 2 missing ladies and re-united with families | SMVDU NCC Cadet participated in Special National Integration Camp | LPU Launched RCI-Approved M.A. Clinical Psychology Programme | 'Dr Vinod Kumar Sharma's Famous Poems' Released at MCM | Preparation for classical chess requires a lot of effort: Praggnanandhaa | Asian champion 100m hurdler Yarraji suffers injury, in big blow to World C'ships hopes | Sudhanshu Mittal re-elected as KKFI chief | IIM Signs MoU with Sheffield University Management School | Temple of learning ? | "The Power of Pen" | Your Dream Doesn’t Have an Expiry Date | In today’s digital age, Screen dominate Simple ways Parents can get kids off Screen and back into Real Books | Underground Hospital | Kashmir Muslims greet yatris to strengthen brotherhood | All officers on ground to ensure peaceful yatra: DGP Prabhat | ONGC sets up Yatri Niwas and Disaster Management Complex at Baltal | Kashmir traders pin hopes on Yatra for tourism revival | CRPF deploys women ‘May I Help You’ Teams, Mountain Rescue Units’ | Amarnath pilgrims laud ‘Operation Sindoor’ | Special arrangements at Jammu Railway Station | J&K Police establish helpline for terrorism victims | 5 springs sealed in Rajouri | Back Issues  
 
news details
Strike against ropeway project continues
11/23/2024 9:48:33 PM
Early Times Report

Jammu, Nov 23: Hundreds of pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district faced hardships as a 72-hour strike by local stakeholders against a proposed ropeway project entered the second day on Saturday. The strike by shopkeepers, and pony and palanquin owners started on Friday amid apprehension that the ropeway project would render them jobless, officials said.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board recently decided to move forward with a Rs 250-crore passenger ropeway project between Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre track to the shrine after shelving the project in the past due to similar protests.
While shops and business establishments remained open in Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine, shopkeepers along the trek route downed shutters for the second day, the officials said.
Pony and palanquin owners also stayed away, causing hardships to many pilgrims during their journey.
The protesters assembled at Shalimar Park in Katra town and held a peaceful sit-in, raising slogans against the shrine board’s decision.
“The ropeway project will be completed within the next two years and lead to the loss of opportunity to earn livelihood for the service providers. The government should come out with a proper rehabilitation plan for the poor labourers who will get affected by this project,” senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Jamwal said in an address to the protesters.
Suggesting a financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh for each affected person, he said they would meet on Sunday to chalk out the future course of action.
The shopkeepers and pony and palanquin owners who routinely assist thousands of pilgrims are apprehensive that the ropeway will render them jobless.
“We will not allow the ropeway project to be implemented in Katra. We have been fighting against it for three years. Assurances were given to us in the past but now they have gone ahead with the project,” shopkeepers’ association leader Prabhat Singh said.
Asserting that the project would hurt the region’s economy, Singh said thousands of families relied on the earnings from business establishments and services for pilgrims.
“We have started our 72-hour strike. If they do not concede to our demand of shelving the project, we will continue with the strike,” he added.
Last week, the shrine board announced implementation of the long-awaited ropeway project to facilitate a safer and faster journey for the pilgrims.
“The ropeway project will be a game changer, especially for those pilgrims who find it challenging to undertake the steep trek to the shrine,” shrine board CEO Anshul Garg had said.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU