Country's largest ropeway to be constructed in Uttarakhand, why it will be historic?
An important step towards transport and infrastructure development in the state of Uttarakhand was taken on Wednesday. On this occasion, a historic agreement was signed between the Government of Uttarakhand and National Highways Logistics and Construction Limited (NHLML) under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The objective of this agreement is to establish the country's largest ropeway project in Uttarakhand at an estimated cost of about Rs 7000 crore.
Ropeway will improve connectivity, promote tourism
The main goal of this partnership is to improve connectivity, promote tourism and reduce congestion in urban areas in the state of Uttarakhand.
A SPV will be formed soon after the agreement, in which the central government will have a 51% stake and the Uttarakhand government will have a 49% stake. This SPV will monitor all aspects of ropeway projects in the state.
Several major ropeway projects will be taken up under this initiative, including
Kedarnath Ropeway: 12.9 km long project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath, estimated to cost ₹4,081.28 crore.
Hemkund Sahib Ropeway: 12.4 km long project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib, estimated to cost ₹2,730.13 crore.
Nainital Ropeway: Project to boost local tourism and connectivity.
Kedarnath Yatra will be reduced from 8-9 hours to 36 minutes.
Facilitate travel for over 20,000 passengers per day.
Located at an altitude of 12,000 to 15,000 feet, smooth all-weather connectivity.
Boost tourism, employment and local economy.
90% of the profit generated from the project will be spent on tourism, transport and development of Uttarakhand.
Huge employment opportunities especially in tourism, transport and supporting industries.
Ropeway will give the state a high identity on the global tourism map.
The government has launched the "Parvatmala Yojana" to realize the tourism potential of the mountainous areas spread over 30% of India's land area. This ropeway project in Uttarakhand is a part of this effort.
This project will provide modern, eco-friendly and efficient transport solutions in the mountainous areas.
This agreement will prove to be a milestone in the infrastructure development of Uttarakhand. It will not only boost tourism but will also create economic opportunities for the local people.