The ₹250-crore ropeway project at Katra, intended to connect Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat on the Vaishno Devi shrine route, has sparked waves of protest dating back more than a year. The controversy first boiled over in late 2024 when the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) formally announced plans for a high-capacity ropeway to ease pilgrim movement—especially for the elderly and those with mobility concerns. While officials stress the project would cut the arduous trek from hours to minutes and relieve crowding, tens of thousands of Katra locals see it as a direct threat to their economic survival.
Repeated Shutdowns and Violent Clashes
Protest actions, including shop shutdowns, sit-ins, and hunger strikes, have become frequent. In November and December 2024, four-day shutdowns and strikes brought life in Katra to a standstill. Violent clashes erupted between protestors and police, sometimes resulting in injuries among demonstrators and law enforcement alike. Key local bodies such as the Vaishno Devi Trek Mazdoor Union, Vyapar Mandal, and Sangharsh Samiti have spearheaded the agitation, warning that more than 60,000 families—pony operators, palanquin bearers, hoteliers, shopkeepers, and porters—depend on the traditional pilgrimage economy.
Locals claim the ropeway will bypass critical stops like Banganga, Charan Paduka, and Adhkuwari, devastating small businesses and erasing local employment in a region already short on alternatives. The anger deepened after assurances of “stakeholder consultation” from authorities, which protestors claim were never meaningfully fulfilled. This lack of dialogue has fueled accusations of broken promises and government indifference. Resistance has been so strong that it briefly forced the transfer of the local District Magistrate, who had paused the project pending further review.
Political Fallout and Religious Sentiment
The agitation isn’t just economic—it’s deeply cultural and political. Some groups, like the Sangharsh Samiti and local chapters of the Yuva Rajput Sabha, want the Shrine Board disbanded and management of the temple affairs handed over to Sanatan Dharam authorities, echoing the spirit of Ayodhya’s religious governance. Political parties from across the spectrum (except the BJP) have supported the strikes and bandhs, accusing the administration of disregarding both local interests and the spiritual heritage of the pilgrimage.
Protest leaders also frame their struggle in terms of religious integrity, insisting the ropeway undermines the yatra’s spiritual tradition—one in which devotees traverse the same steep path believed to have been walked and sanctified by the goddess herself.
Current Situation and the Road Ahead
As of October 2025, tensions remain high. Locals have resumed hunger strikes, and the risk of further shutdowns and violence looms. The Shrine Board, for its part, insists that the project will benefit those unable to climb and ensure the long-term sustainability of the pilgrimage. It claims ongoing talks with a five-member stakeholder delegation, but protesters remain skeptical, arguing that genuine consensus can only be achieved if economic and emotional concerns are fully addressed.
For now, the “No to Ropeway” banners continue to line Katra’s streets, symbolizing the collision between development ambitions and the lived reality of those whose livelihoods are intimately tied to one of India’s most sacred routes. As this standoff plays out, the eyes of millions of devotees—and an entire regional economy—remain fixed on whether tradition, trust, and inclusion will find a way alongside the march of infrastructure.
