Pilgrims heading to Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir will now be able to visit Bhairon Nath mandir with ease with the help a ropeway that was inaugurated on Monday. Though the temple is situated at a distance of just 1.5 kilometres from the Bhawan, the climb is extremely steep making it tough for pilgrims to visit the Bhairon Nath temple. As per some reports, only 30-40 per cent of the pilgrims who visit the Vaishnodevi shrine head towards the Bhairon Nath temple to pay obeisance. 


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However, with the launch of Bhawan-Bhairon ropeway project, passengers can reach the temple in just five minutes. A ride on the ropeway will reportedly cost Rs 100 per person. Trial runs were conducted on Sunday and reports suggest that the temple witnessed over 3000 more people than the average footfall that it usually receives.



The ropeway was inaugurated by Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday. The ropeway project works had been undertaken by the joint venture of Garaventa AG, Switzerland and Damodar Ropeways Construction Co (P) Ltd, Kolkata, under the supervision of RITES. 


The equipment and cabins of the ropeway have been imported from Switzerland. It has a carrying capacity of 800 persons per hour. With the help of this service, the steep climb of an altitude of 6,600 feet will be completed in minutes.


The trial and testing of the project formally began on November 26. Besides trial and testing of the passenger ropeway, mock rescue and evacuation drills were conducted. Staffers of the shrine board have also been trained for emergency services.


The disaster management task force (DMTF) of the shrine board had organised rescue and evacuation drills. The director security and enforcement Suresh Sharma, along with a platoon of 'sahayaks' and a section of SDRF team from Reasi, participated in the rescue drills last week.