Eighteen individuals detained during protests against the proposed ropeway project in Katra, the base camp for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, were released on Wednesday.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration announced the detainees' release on Tuesday night and formed a four-member committee to hold talks with the protesters.
The committee’s formation also saw the suspension of work on the ropeway until discussions with the protestors are concluded.
"Eighteen detained individuals, including some leaders, were released around 1 am from Reasi and Udhampur jails. They arrived in Katra to jubilant celebrations, where hundreds of people welcomed them," said a spokesperson for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti.
He added that shops and businesses began reopening and that the newly formed committee would engage in talks about the controversial ropeway project.
"The government has succumbed to our hunger strike. They have released our leaders, marking the first step towards our victory. We will continue our fight to shelve the ropeway project," said one of the hunger strike participants.
Former minister and BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma welcomed the government's decision. "It is a positive step that all 18 detainees have been released," he said.
As celebratory chants of "Jai Mata Di" filled the air, residents of Katra danced to drum beats in a joyous reception for the released protesters.
"This is a victory for the people of Katra, who stood united with us," said Bhupinder Singh, a Samiti leader and one of the released detainees.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar explained that discussions were held with civil society members and concluded with the release of all detainees and the reopening of markets.
"Furthermore, work on the ropeway will remain suspended until the committee concludes its discussions," he told reporters late on Tuesday.
A four-member committee was formed by the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor, comprising the divisional commissioner, CEO of the Shrine Board Dr. Ashok Bhan, and board member Suresh Sharma, to resolve the issue. The committee is tasked with addressing the concerns of all parties involved.
Katra returns to normalcy after weeklong shutdown
Katra -- the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir -- resumed normal business activity on Wednesday after a week-long shutdown protesting a proposed ropeway project in the Trikuta hills of Reasi district.
"All shops, restaurants, and business establishments reopened after a week-long closure due to the shutdown, while traffic movement was also restored, bringing much relief to the pilgrims," an official said.
With the return of normalcy, hundreds of pilgrims thronged the holy town on the first day of the year to pay obeisance at the cave shrine, with long serpentine queues seen at the entry points in Katra and Bhawan.
"We are very happy that the bandh has ended. It was causing huge inconvenience to us. We have come here to pay obeisance on the first day of the new year," Suresh Kadam, a resident of Pune, said.
The 'bandh', which began on December 25, disrupted normal life in one of the country’s busiest pilgrimage towns which draws thousands of devotees daily.
The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti, which called for the shutdown, had announced that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during this period.
On Tuesday night, the Jammu and Kashmir administration announced the release of the detainees and constituted a four-member committee to hold talks with the protesting civil society members.
The Samiti initially called for the shutdown on December 25. On December 27 night, it extended the bandh by 72 hours to press its demands, including shelving the proposed ropeway project and releasing the detained protesters.
Last month, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) announced plans to install a ropeway to facilitate access to the temple for senior citizens, children, and others who find it challenging to climb the 13-km-long track to the cave shrine.
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