HP: Chintpurni traders protest against passenger ropeway

Una : Hundreds of traders from the Chintpurni area in Una district shut their shops to carry out a procession through the main bazaar in protest against a passenger ropeway to the Mata Chintpurni temple.

They closed the market on Wednesday and sat on strike near Baba Maidas House, a statement issued by the traders’ body on Thursday said. The protest came in response to a 1.1-km aerial ropeway proposed to be constructed with an outlay of Rs 76.50 crore.

The ropeway, which would transport 700 passengers per hour in each direction, is aimed at enhancing the pilgrims’ experience. The state government had recently handed over a ‘Letter of Award’ for the development of the project to a company.

The Trade Board said that the distance to the temple is only 1 km and the ropeway will destroy the businesses of thousands of shopkeepers. The temple administration keeps golf carts for the movement of elderly, disabled, and sick who come to the temple. Traders said that the ropeway construction would also hamper the movement of vehicular movement from the villages.