Pony, palanquin owners on strike against proposed Vaishno Devi ropeway

Pithus (porters), pony and palanquin (palki) owners who routinely assist thousands of pilgrims on the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine route in Jammu, on Friday called for a three-day strike to protest the proposed ropeway project in Katra, approximately 18 km from the shrine. Groups of protestors staged demonstrations in Katra and raised slogans against the Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, demanding that it shelve the ropeway project failing which they will intensify the stir.

Thousands of pithus, pony and palanquin operators, who earn daily wages from the Vaishno Devi pilgrims yatra are enraged over the proposed move to connect Tarakot Marg with Sanjhi Chhat and undertook a similar stir earlier to register their strong reservations against the project.

Speaking to IANS, a couple of protestors said the ropeway project/gondola will be detrimental to their livelihood and they are left with no option other than to block it. They claimed that their strike also has the backing of locals as they stand to lose heavily if the ropeway project is built.

As local resident Sonu Qayum said, “We are on a three-day strike against the shrine board’s decision to implement the ropeway on Tarakote Marg. They are trying to bypass the traditional path that has been used by generations of pilgrims." He stressed the deep connection devotees share with the old pilgrimage route,. and raised concerns over it, if the project proceeds.

“Porters who rely on the pilgrimage route for their livelihoods are particularly vocal in their opposition. What are they doing to us?” asked a pithu. “Breaking mountains for this ropeway? It will take away our jobs and the livelihoods of more than 5,000 shopkeepers who rely on the pilgrimage. If any politician supports us, we will support them in the elections. Those who do not care for the poor, we will ensure they lose the next election.”

Another protestor added, “We’re protesting because we believe this ropeway project is damaging our faith. The shrine board says it’s for the elderly, but even they don’t want it. This is about preserving tradition and not turning Vaishno Devi into a tourist spot."

According to reports, Rail India Technical and Economic Service Ltd (RITES) recently initiated the bidding process for the approximately 2.4-km ropeway project, aiming to connect Katra with the Vaishno Devi shrine in just six minutes. The shrine, a hugely popular pilgrim spot for Hindu devotees, is visited by close to 1 crore pilgrims every year.