The Union Cabinet approved two major ropeway projects in Uttarakhand under Parvatmala Pariyojana. The Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib Ji and Sonprayag–Kedarnath ropeways, built under the DBFOT PPP model, will dramatically reduce travel time, boost tourism, generate employment, and offer an eco-friendly alternative to roadways in the Himalayan region, significantly stimulating regional economic growth.
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The Union Cabinet has approved two ropeway projects in Uttarakhand under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana.
Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji Ropeway (12.4 km)
This ropeway will connect Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji, a revered Sikh pilgrimage site situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in the Chamoli district. The total cost of this project is Rs. 2,730.13 crore.
The project will utilize Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) technology from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km), integrated with advanced Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km).
Designed to carry 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), with a maximum daily capacity of 11,000 passengers.
Sonprayag to Kedarnath Ropeway (12.9 km)
This ropeway will connect Sonprayag to the Kedarnath temple in the Rudraprayag district.
The project will use Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology throughout.
Designed to carry 1,800 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), with a maximum daily capacity of 18,000 passengers.
This ropeway will reduce travel time from the current 8-9 hours to approximately 36 minutes.
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Parvatmala Pariyojana The National Ropeways Development Programme (Parvatmala Pariyojana) was launched in the Union Budget 2022-23, to develop more than 250 ropeway projects across India. The program follows a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with approximately 60% contribution support from the Union Government. |
Implementation Model
Both projects will be developed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model, a variant of the PPP approach. This model involves the private sector in designing, constructing, financing, and operating the infrastructure for a specified period before transferring ownership to the government.
These projects are expected to boost the regional economy by promoting easier access to pilgrimage sites, thereby increasing tourist footfall and related business activities.
The construction and operation phases of these projects will create substantial employment opportunities.
Ropeways are considered more environmentally friendly compared to traditional roadways, especially in ecologically sensitive areas like the Himalayas.
Improved connectivity will attract more domestic and international tourists to Uttarakhand's religious and natural attractions.
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