India will soon compete with some of the most sought-after tourist destinations of the world. Often, a ropeway project is what sets such destinations apart. Realising this, the Centre is working on a plan to have ropeway projects across the country that will not just ease urban mobility but also act as an attractive feature for tourists.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari has announced the launch of the National Ropeways Development Programme, called ‘Parvatmala Pariyojana’ – aimed at developing 200 ropeway projects at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore in the next five years.
The investment corpus is large, one that speaks to the seriousness the Narendra Modi-led government attaches to this programme. Under Parvatmala Pariyojana, the central government plans to provide substantial construction support of 60 percent under the hybrid annuity mode for ropeways.
By doing so, the government wants to attract more private players to take part in the development of ropeways. Since the plan is to build hundreds of such projects over the next five years, onboarding the private sector is crucial.
The government is looking at addressing certain fundamental issues relating to urban mobility and transport with its ambitious project. First, it wants to integrate ropeways into the urban rapid transport system to alleviate congestion in cities, reduce pollution, and streamline travel times.
Second, apart from transforming public transport in urban centres, the ropeways programme can play an instrumental role in ushering a new era for India’s hilly regions by making them tourist hubs.
Third, the Centre wants the Parvatmala Pariyojana to catalyse development of indigenous and cost-efficient ropeway solutions under the Make in India umbrella.
Gadkari spoke about the importance of such indigenous solutions, saying, “Priority is to bring standardisation of existing policies and codes and transform the ropeway industry by encouraging the manufacturing of ropeway components under the Make-in-India initiative.”
The private sector has already shown an interest in developing a robust ropeway infrastructure across India. These players, however, want the government to address some concerns.
Global industry majors have urged the Centre to focus on carrying out perfect feasibility studies, better estimate of costs and setting realistic deadlines for ropeway projects. The developers say these measures are necessary for timely completion.
Importantly, private players are being assured that states will contribute land for ropeway projects without the need for environmental clearances. Often, deficient feasibility reports result in project bids getting delayed.
For example, the Gaurikund to Kedarnath and Govindghat-Hemkund Sahib ropeway projects in Uttarakhand have not been bid out more than a year after their foundations were laid.
Why the sudden interest in ropeways?
The initiative can prove particularly transformative for India’s hill stations and mountainous areas with significant tourist footfall. Building roads, rail networks or even pushing more buses in such areas is not always possible due to rough terrain and congestion.
Ropeway projects will help circumvent these issues while also providing mobility a fillip. It will also push tourism as people will no longer need to travel abroad to get the ropeway experience.
The added advantage is that unlike conventional modes of transport, ropeways will not pollute the environment. They can revolutionise urban travel in hilly regions.
In November last year, Shimla emerged as the first urban hotspot to be given a ropeway project. With construction on the 14-km ropeway line expected to begin this September, once completed in 2029, it will become the world’s second longest ropeway network. The ropeway will have three lines and initially there will be 220 cabins, which will be upgraded to a total of 660 with a carrying capacity of eight to nine passengers. At least 20,000 people are expected to gain direct and indirect employment from the project.
Similarly, Dehradun and Mussoorie in Uttarakhand will get linked with a ropeway line soon, reducing travel time between the two towns to a mere 15 minutes. In fact, Uttarakhand is emerging as the ropeway hub of India. In September last year, the state government signed a pact in London with ropeway construction firm Poma Group for investments worth Rs 2,000 crore.
Besides, News18 recently reported that Amarnath, Kamakhya, Kedarnath and Mahakaleshwar temples are among the 30 projects identified for ropeway connectivity, covering a distance of more than 120 km. Ropeway connectivity to Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh, Sabarmati riverfront and Statue of Unity in Gujarat, Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh and Marina Beach in Tamil Nadu is also being planned.
The decision to have hundreds of ropeway projects up and running across India in the next five years must be seen with the larger goal of the Centre’s will to transform the urban landscape with a special focus on sustainable mobility. In a similar move in August last year, the government launched the PM e-Bus Sewa programme. Under this, 10,000 e-buses will be deployed across 169 cities, and the scheme will cover cities with a population of more than three lakh while priority will be given to those that do not have organised bus services.
By 2040, 270 million more people will live in Indian cities. And, they will need better housing and transport as well as more jobs. Aware of the challenges population expansion in urban centres can pose to mobility, the Centre is continuously devising new plans to address present and future challenges. It bodes well with the larger plan of turning India into a developed country by 2047 under the Viksit Bharat mission.
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