The ongoing agitation in Katra against the proposed Ropeway project is entering its crucial phase as several organisations have extended their support to the members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangarsh Samiti.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary also visited Katra and met with the agitating members along with a large number of local residents sitting on indefinite fast in the Sridhar Chowk on Sunday. Representatives of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Transporters Association also extended their support to the ongoing agitation.

Meanwhile, Katra township remained shut for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday.Local BJP MLA, Baldev Raj Sharma, who stayed away from the ongoing agitation has also joined the stir since Saturday.

The bandh, which began on Wednesday, has disrupted normal life in the busy town of Katra, where thousands of pilgrims arrive daily to pay obeisance at the cave shrine of Vaishno Devi.

Sharma, who joined the protesters on Sunday, warned the administration of a chain hunger strike if the detained samiti members are not released within 24 hours.

“I will sit on a hunger strike with my people if the administration does not release those detained. The administration should immediately release them,” the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA told the protesters.

Meanwhile, posters of missing BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma also surfaced in Katra on Sunday. The members of the sangarsh samiti claimed their MP has totally ignored their demand and instead of raising their voice and standing behind them he has decided to ignore the protests and their genuine demands.

The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Sangharsh Samiti initially called for the shutdown on December 25. On Friday night, it extended the bandh by 72 hours to press its demands, including shelving the proposed ropeway project and releasing the detained protesters.