Over 20 lakh pilgrims avail facility of hi-tech ropeway
JK News Today
Jammu, December 24:
The Bhawan-Bhairon Passenger Ropeway installed by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for facilitation of the visiting pilgrims has completed one year of its successful operation. As many as 20 lakh pilgrims have availed the facility of this hi-tech Ropeway which was commissioned on December 24, last year.
Ramesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, reviewed the functioning of the Passenger Ropeway at a meeting of the concerned officers of the Shrine Board here today and stressed for ensuring highest safety standards of the ropeway.
The Passenger Ropeway Project was completed by the Shrine Board at a cost of about Rs. 85 crore, including its allied infrastructure and related pilgrim-centric facilities. Having two fully enclosed spacious cabins with a carrying capacity of 45 persons in each cabin in one go, the Ropeway can carry upto 800 persons per hour.
With the completion of this ambitious project, the pilgrims visiting the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji are now able to fulfill their life-long wish of paying obeisance at Bhairon Ji Temple, which was earlier difficult, particularly for the elderly and specially-abled pilgrims owing to a steep climb to an altitude of 6600 ft. The Ropeway has also considerably reduced the travel time of the one way journey between Bhawan and Bhairon Temple from one hour to just about three minutes.
The Board charges a subsidized to and fro ticket of Rs. 100 per passenger to enable the maximum number of pilgrims to avail this facility.
