Shimla, July 21 -- The Union government's Bijli Mahadev ropeway project in Kullu is facing opposition with the people pressing for scrapping the project. Bijli Mahadev Sangharsh Samiti (BMRSS) on Sunday started a village-to-village campaign to mobilise residents for an upcoming protest against the project on July 25. The Bijli Mahadev ropeway project is a Union government project under the Parvatmala Yojana, also known as the National Ropeways Development Programme - designed to offer a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional road transport in hilly areas. The project is to be built at an estimated cost of Rs.284 crore. Funded by the Centre, it is being executed by the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML). It has secured stage-1 in-principal permission from the environment ministry. The project developer has already submitted the costs, including of trees to be cut, and the environmental compensation for the forest land to be diverted for the project. Already nine panchayats of the area have come out in open demanding cancellation of its construction, citing "deities orders". The residents of Kharal valley, which lies at the foothills of the Bijli Mahadev temple have been protesting against project, saying the project would destroy the hill, pointing towards the cracking up at several places. BMRSS president Suresh Negi said, "Our ongoing campaign is taking the shape of a mass movement against the ropeway project, which the government is pushing for ignoring the faith of the people as well as environmental concerns. Even Lord Bijli Mahadev has said no to this project but still the government is adamant." "We do not want the ropeway project, which is sure to destroy our sacred place of faith by converting it into a tourist spot. We have already met with the chief minister as well as Union ministers voicing our concerns over the project but no one is listening" said Negi. As per the project details, a total of 203 trees will be cut and around 3.1 hectares of forest land will be diverted for the project. Meanwhile, Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur said, "This is a project of the Union government and the state government is only helping in the same. The protest, if any, needs to be held in Delhi, and not Kullu". He said, "The project was earlier 3.2 km but now it is 2.3 km and it is in the forest land. Respecting the sentiments of the people, the length of the ropeway was reduced so that it does not fall in the temple area."...