Rs 30 per passenger imposed as ‘security charges’ on pilgrims
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 26: Hundreds of Machail Mata pilgrims today held strong protest demonstration at Gulabgarh (Paddar) against the Governor’s Administration and District Administration Kishtwar, demanding opening of Helicopter service to the Shrine from base camp at Paddar.
While the helicopter service of the two approved companies- Heritage Aviation and Aryan Heli Service, was scheduled to take off from the first day of the Yatra on July 25 (Thursday) but due to bad weather it could not operated. Today was clear weather but companies refused to fly for want of security cover.
Today morning when the Yatris who had taken advance online tickets for helicopter service arrived at the Helipad at Gulabgarh Paddar in the morning, but they were surprised to find that there was no Heli-service staff or security people at the site. The people had started gathering there since 6.30 am. By 8.30 am a large gathering of pilgrims gathered near helipad . When they inquired about the reason of not starting operation, the Heli companies staff told that since Police department was not providing security at the helipads, therefore, they will not operate. The pilgrims said if there was any issue between the Police/ District Administration Kishtwar and Heli companies, why they were being made to suffer as they have paid heavy amount in advance for tickets.
The pilgrims who were in hundreds in number then started protest demonstration against District Administration, Police and Heli-service authorities at the helipad. They shouted slogans against the Governor and DC and SSP Kishtwar. The protest continued for more than three hours.
Due to the `tug of war’ for the security cover charges between the Heli service companies and District police, the pilgrims were made to suffer for long there. Later, the Deputy Commissioner, KIshtwar Angrez Singh Rana reached there and then after discussion with the SSP Kishtwar, Shakti Pathak on phone and meeting with SDM, SDPO Paddar and Company representatives at Paddar SDM office complex, it was decided that instead of charging Rs 2270 per pilgrim as fixed by Govt after contract agreement as fare from Paddar to Machail, the companies would charge Rs 2300 from the pilgrims. With this, a fund of nearly Rs 10 lakh would be raised and provided to the Police department for providing security cover at both the helipads.
After this the Helicopter service was started at around 1.30 pm, charging additional money from the pilgrims on the spot. For security cover by J&K police, the burden was exerted on the pilgrims.
DC Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana when contacted said that Police had refused to provide security cover at the Helipads. They were demanding charges from the Heli companies for security cover. Since they had not deputed security men, the company refused to operate. The issue was resolved after enhancing the ticker fare from Rs 2270 to Rs 2300 per person. He said no such agreement of providing charges for security cover was there in the contract. But the SSP Kishtwar told that Police was charging at Jammu airport also for providing security cover and deployment of policemen. When asked there was no such charges at Shri Amarnath Ji and Katra Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims, the DC said he was not aware but he was not happy with imposing additional Rs 30 on the pilgrims as security cover at the helipad as commercial Jammu airport cannot be equated with the Machail Mata pilgrimage. The DC said the operation was started after 1 pm when police deployed nearly 109 security men for security cover. Meanwhile, there was strong resentment among the pilgrims and people of the area over the charging additional amount from pilgrims for providing security.
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