Delegation Urges Nadda to Scrap Bijli Mahadev Ropeway Project

A delegation led by former MP Maheshwar Singh, comprising members of the Bijli Mahadev Sangharsh Samiti and the Bijli Mahadev Temple Committee, met with a three-member panel headed by Union Health Minister JP Nadda in New Delhi today. The meeting was convened to address the growing opposition to the proposed aerial ropeway that would connect the famed Bijli Mahadev Temple, perched on a hilltop in Kullu, with the valley below.

Fateh Singh Negi, treasurer of the temple committee, said the delegation presented a detailed account of past protests, environmental concerns, and the divine verdict delivered during a recent Jagti (traditional spiritual assembly). Negi said the panel “listened patiently” and assured that a detailed report would be submitted to the Prime Minister. “We remain hopeful for a favourable outcome leading to the project’s cancellation, which we will continue to oppose in every way,” he added.

Earlier, Maheshwar Singh, chief caretaker of Lord Raghunath’s ceremonial staff and scion of the former Kullu royal family, had personally appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene. Following this, the Prime Minister appointed a three-member committee—comprising JP Nadda, Arun Singh, and Mahendra Pandey—to engage with stakeholders and assess the project’s feasibility.

Legal resistance has also intensified. The Bijli Mahadev Temple Committee, along with local resident Nachiketa, represented by advocate Ajay Marwah, filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The tribunal issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), National Highways Logistics Management Ltd. (NHLML), the Himachal Pradesh government, the State Forest Department, the Pollution Control Board, and the Deputy Commissioner of Kullu.

During a hearing on October 17, the Advocate General of Himachal Pradesh clarified that the state government’s role in the project—being implemented by NHLML—was minimal. He stressed that no environmental clearance had been issued by the state, underscoring the central government’s primary responsibility in the matter.

Public opposition to the ropeway has been building for years, marked by a series of protests, including a planned demonstration at Jantar Mantar, which was later canceled due to a natural disaster. Former HPMC vice-chairman Ram Singh had also written to Prime Minister Modi and JP Nadda—both by email and registered post—highlighting local concerns.

Villagers have demanded that the ₹284 crore, 2.4 km ropeway project—intended to link Pirdi to the Bijli Mahadev Temple—be scrapped altogether.

Interestingly, during his tenure as the BJP in-charge for Himachal Pradesh in the 1990s, Prime Minister Modi frequently visited the temple, lending the project a personal dimension. BJP leaders have since described it as Modi’s dream project.

On the political front, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has clarified that the ropeway is a central government initiative. He noted that Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur revived the decades-old proposal in accordance with local deity traditions. Sukhu highlighted the project’s potential to boost tourism, acknowledging the Centre’s major investment, and expressed hope that the final decision would balance development goals with local sentiments.