THE Government on Wednesday approved two ropeway projects in Uttarakhand -- Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km) and Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji (12.4 km) -- at a total cost of Rs 6,811 crore. The timeline for construction of these two ambitious projects is 4-6 years. The decisions of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) were announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The construction of a 12.9-km ropeway from Sonprayag to Kedarnath will be done on the design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) mode at a total cost of Rs 4,081.28 crore.

 

The ropeway project will be a boon to the pilgrims visiting Kedarnath as it would provide an environment-friendly, comfortable and fast connectivity and reduce travel time in one direction from about 8 to 9 hours to about 36 minutes. The ropeway is planned to be developed in public-private partnership and will be based on the most advanced Tri-cable DetachableGondola(3S)technology having the capacity to carry1,800passengersperhour per direction (PPHPD), which could ferry 18,000 passengers per day. Vaishnaw informed thatthe12.4-kmropewayproject from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji too will be developed on DBFOT mode at atotalcapitalcost of Rs2,730.13 crore. Currently, the journey to the Hemkund Sahib Ji is a chal - lenging 21-kmuphill trek from Govindghat and is covered o n footorbyponiesorpalanquins.

 

The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the Hemkund Sahib Ji and the tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers, and will ensure allweather last-mile connectivity between Govindghat and Hemkund Sahib Ji . The journey to the Kedarnath temple is a challenging 16-km uphilltrekfromGaurikundand is currently covered on foot or byponies, palanquinsandhelicopter.Theproposedropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the temple and ensure all-weather connectivity between Sonprayag and Kedarnath.