The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of two ropeway projects under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana: the 12.9 km ropeway project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km) and the 12.4 km ropeway project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji, both in Uttarakhand. Both will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs. 2,730.13 crore for the first and Rs. 4,081.28 crore for the second.

The Kedarnath ropeway is planned to be developed in public-private partnership and will be based on the most advanced Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology with a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD) carrying 18,000 passengers per day. The Hemkund Sahib ropeway is also planned to be developed in public-private partnership and will be based on Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km), seamlessly integrated with the 3S technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km) with a design capacity of 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD) carrying 11,000 passengers per day, an official release said on Wednesday.

The first 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 journey to the Kedarnath temple is a challenging 16-km uphill trek from Gaurikund and is currently covered on foot or by ponies, palanquins and helicopter. The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the temple and ensure all-weather connectivity between Sonprayag and Kedarnath.

Kedarnath is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas situated at an elevation of 3,583 m (11968 ft) in the Rudraprayag district of the State of Uttarakhand. The temple is open for pilgrims for about 6 to 7 months in a year from Akshaya Tritiya (April-May) to Diwali (October-November) and is visited by about 20 lakh pilgrims annually during the season.

The journey to the Hemkund Sahib Ji is also a challenging 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat and is covered on foot or by ponies or palanquins. The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims and visiting the Hemkund Sahib Ji and the tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers and will ensure all-weather last mile connectivity between Govindghat and Hemkund Sahib Ji.

Hemkund Sahib Ji is a highly revered pilgrimage site situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in Chamoli district of the State of Uttarakhand. The Gurudwara established at the holy site is open for about 5 months in a year between May and September and is visited by about 1.5 to 2 lakh pilgrims annually. The trek to Hemkund Sahib Ji also serves as the gateway to the famous Valley of Flowers, a national park recognized as the UNESCO World Heritage site, located in the pristine Garhwal Himalayas.

The ropeway projects will also generate substantial employment opportunities during construction and operations as well as in allied tourism industries like hospitality, travel, foods & beverages (F&B) and tourism throughout the year. The development of the ropeway projects is a significant step towards fostering balanced socio-economic development, enhancing last mile connectivity for pilgrims and fostering rapid economic growth of the region.