Vaishno Devi Ropeway Cleared by LG in 2024, Not Cabinet: Omar Abdullah
Chief Minister tells Assembly records show project cleared before elected government took office.
Jammu, Feb 10: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that the ropeway project for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine was approved by the Lieutenant Governor in September 2024 and not by the cabinet or the Administrative Council.
Clarifying the matter on the floor of the House, Abdullah said he had reviewed the official records after claims surfaced suggesting cabinet clearance. “I checked the records and found that the cabinet did not approve it. It is also not a decision of the Administrative Council,” he stated.
The Chief Minister stressed that the approval was granted before the formation of the elected government, underscoring the Lieutenant Governor’s role in the decision-making process.
Abdullah also alleged that both the Assembly and the public were being misinformed about the project. He noted that a legislator had even threatened to resign over the issue during an emotional exchange.
The clarification follows remarks by BJP MLA Baldev Raj Sharma, who had asserted that the cabinet had cleared the ropeway proposal and said he would step down if proven wrong.
