Ram Singh, former vice-chairman of HPMC, has firmly opposed the proposed ropeway to the Bijli Mahadev shrine, saying it could damage both the environment and the sacredness of the site.
He revealed that as many as 209 trees may be cut for the project, with 70 already felled. He stressed that this mindless felling of trees is a threat to the fragile mountain ecosystem.
Singh emphasised that the project goes against the will of Lord Bijli Mahadev as conveyed through Dev Vaani, the deity’s divine oracle. Devotees have already been saying that the deity opposes any form of mechanised access to the sacred site. Despite this, Singh pointed out that both the ruling and opposition parties have stayed silent, ignoring the spiritual sentiments of the local community.
While he clarified he is not against development, the local leader stressed that it shouldn’t come at the expense of the environment or the loss of cultural values.
“The traditional trek to Bijli Mahadev maintains both the sanctity of the pilgrimage and the ecological balance of the mountains,” he said. He warned that introducing a ropeway could turn this sacred site into a commercial tourist spot, weakening the strong spiritual bond between the deity and the locals.
Singh also raised apprehensions about increasing natural disasters in the region, which he attributed to irresponsible construction in ecologically sensitive zones. “We must learn from the past. Projects that disregard nature and spiritual beliefs can lead to grave consequences,” he warned.
The ropeway project, first suggested nearly three decades ago, has recently gained momentum with support from Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur. Even a virtual 'bhoomi pujan' was done by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in March 2024. However, Ram Singh believes the current plan ignores both the wishes of the deity and the concerns of the locals.
He urged the government to pause and reconsider the project, warning that moving forward without careful thought could damage not just the landscape, but the faith of the people who have protected it for generations.
The meadow around the sacred Bijli Mahadev shrine has developed several cracks in recent years, prompting environmentalists and locals to advocate for growing more trees in the area to prevent further land sinking. But instead of addressing these issues, many feel the government is moving ahead with a project that could make things worse.
“It’s not development, it’s destruction in the name of religious tourism,” said Guman Singh, a Kullu-based environmentalist and coordinator of the NGO Himalaya Niti Abhiyan. He highlighted the need for a proper technical feasibility study before launching such a massive project. “Faith is being commercialised. The ones who will truly benefit from this are those looking to build hotels and run businesses at the site, not the local communities,” he added.
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