Parvatmala Scheme: An Interactive Dashboard Of Ropeway Projects Currently Underway In India

During the Union Budget for 2022-23, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, had announced the National Ropeways Development Programme “Parvatmala”.

The ropeway will be a preferred, ecologically sustainable alternative in place of conventional roads in difficult hilly areas.

The primary objective is to enhance transportation links and accessibility for commuters, while also encouraging tourism.

The ropeways have been envisioned to potentially link several pilgrimage sites and also cover congested urban areas, where conventional mass transit systems are not feasible.

The programme is underway on a public-private partnership (PPP) model. It is initially being rolled out in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir and the other north-eastern states.

Following the proposals for ropeway developments, a total of 256 ropeway projects have been proposed by various state governments for consideration under Parvatmala Yojana, as per an earlier statement by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.

Both northern and north-eastern hilly states have submitted the maximum number of projects.

This includes 49 projects in Uttarakhand, five in Himachal Pradesh and 18 in Jammu and Kashmir.

A summary analysis prepared by Swarajya in the form of a dashboard indicates the ropeway projects that are under construction or in tendering stages across different states worth over Rs 3,827 crore.

Ropeway Projects Under Construction

The National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) has awarded bids for three projects of religious tourism importance — in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Kedarnath Temple (Uttarakhand) and Hemkund Sahib (Uttarakhand).

Varanasi Ropeway, Uttar Pradesh: The ropeway at Varanasi — the spiritual capital of India, is a 3.8-km journey from Cantonment Railway Station to Godowlia Chowk.

Currently, this journey takes about 60 minutes during peak hours which will be reduced to about 17 minutes post completion of the ropeway. Thus, helping ease the pressure on the existing transport infrastructure.

Kedarnath Ropeway, Uttarakhand: The 9.7-km-long Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project will significantly reduce the time taken by pilgrims to reach the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district.

Set to be the longest ropeway in the world at an altitude of 11,500 feet above sea level, the estimated cost of the project is Rs 1,875 crore.

Hemkund Sahib Ropeway, Uttarakhand:  The 12.4-km Govind Ghat-Hemkund Sahib project is being constructed to facilitate travel up to Hemkund Sahib, a famous Sikh pilgrimage in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.

The existing way from Govind Ghat to Hemkund Sahib is a 19-km steep and tough foot track and takes about 12 hours to reach the shrine.