Jammu, Feb 10: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday clarified that the ropeway project for the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine was approved by the Lieutenant Governor in 2024 and not by the Cabinet or the Administrative Council.
Setting the record straight in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister said he had personally examined the official records related to the project.
Refuting claims made by a member, Omar Abdullah stated, “It was said that the cabinet had approved the ropeway project. I checked the records and found that the cabinet did not approve it. It is also not a decision of the Administrative Council.”
Highlighting the sequence of events, he informed the House that the project was approved by the Lieutenant Governor in September 2024, prior to the formation of the elected government.
The Chief Minister cautioned that the House and the public were being misled on the issue, adding that “in an emotional moment, the member had yesterday threatened to resign.”
His remarks came a day after BJP MLA from the Mata Vaishno Devi constituency, Baldev Raj Sharma, claimed in the Assembly that the cabinet had approved the ropeway project and said he would resign if the claim was proved incorrect. (Agencies)
