Despite growing opposition, work has begun on the Bijli Mahadev ropeway—an ambitious project connecting the revered hilltop shrine in Kullu district. The move has triggered a fresh wave of protests, with locals raising alarm over deforestation and ecological damage. As viral social media posts fuel concerns about large-scale tree felling, officials from the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a subsidiary of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), have stepped in to address the increasing public anxiety.’
NHLML Project Director Reena Pawar said the claims are misleading and not based on facts. She clarified that the ropeway project is backed by a formal agreement between the Himachal Pradesh government through RTDC Shimla and NHLML, a central public sector body.
“Land was handed over only after receiving forest clearance,” she said. “The RTDC deposited the required funds for tree felling and compensatory afforestation into the state treasury. Stage-I working permission was granted in July 2024, and every felled tree is accounted for under the Forest Corporation supervision,” she further added.
She also pointed out that many of the images circulating online are old or unrelated to the ropeway project, but are being shared again to stir fear. “These recycled visuals trigger public fear and delay essential infrastructure. People are misled into confusing unrelated hillside activity with ropeway construction,” Pawar said.
On environmental concerns, she assured that the project has followed all regulatory norms and respects the area’s spiritual heritage. “We follow every environmental norm and respect the local spiritual traditions. Monitoring teams regularly assess soil stability, water quality and wildlife corridors to ensure ecological balance,” she added.
Despite these clarifications, residents of Kharal village recently held a protest demanding a fresh public hearing, claiming the voice of the local deity has been ignored. Civic groups and local organisations have earlier raised similar demands for more community involvement before moving ahead.
Last week, 77 deodar trees were allegedly cut down for the ropeway project by the NHLML. This sparked anger among local residents, who on July 7 stopped NHLML staff from transporting the timber loaded in trucks.
The next day, hundreds of locals—including many women—met with forest department officials to raise their concerns. They later staged a protest in Kullu, expressing fears that the 2.4-km ropeway would destroy the sacred meadow of Bijli Mahadev, located 2,460 metres above sea level atop the Kharal valley, overlooking Kullu town.
On July 10, tensions rose again as residents confronted NHLML staff at the site. Earlier, on July 8, local leader Ram Singh, along with members of the Bijli Mahadev Ropeway Sangharsh Samiti, reached the forest area where the trees had been felled and asked the staff to vacate the site.
“Our politicians have sold this land for commercial profit. They've chosen money over faith. But the common people of this valley will stand their ground and oppose this project completely,” said Fateh Rana, a Kharal valley resident and member of the Sangharsh Samiti.
Rana pointed out that Bijli Mahadev is an eco-sensitive area, where many locals rely on the forest for their livelihoods. He also expressed concern that the meadow land is already sinking, and the tree cutting could make the situation worse.
“If the project is forced through against the will of Lord Bijli Mahadev, we fear it could lead to a natural disaster like never before,” Rana warned.
The ropeway is slated to cost ₹284 crore and will run from Pirdi village, near the Beas River, to the Bijli Mahadev hilltop. Designed to carry up to 36,000 passengers a day, it promises to shorten the current hour-long trek to just seven minutes.
But many locals see this as a disaster. “Bringing 36,000 people a day to a fragile mountaintop is madness,” said Shanta Devi, a local resident and women’s group leader from Kharal valley. “This ropeway will destroy the peace and sanctity of Bijli Mahadev. Our politicians boast about convenience, but they ignore the environmental cost.”
Adding to the opposition is a strong spiritual sentiment. “Bijli Mahadev does not want the ropeway on the nangi dhar (the sacred open meadow),” said Vinender Singh Jamwal, the kardar (caretaker) of the temple. “The deity’s gur (oracle) has already made this clear. Yet the developer has refused to shift the project away from the meadow.”
As the controversy grows, many believe the next step should be an open, transparent dialogue involving all stakeholders and a fresh, independent environmental review to ensure that both progress and preservation go hand in hand.
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