Good News For Devotees Of Lord Kedarnath As NHAI Invites Bids For Rs 985 Crore Sonprayag-Gaurikund-Kedarnath Ropeway Project

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday (7 January) invited bids for the ropeway project connecting Sonprayag to Kedarnath Dham via Gaurikund in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district.

In November, PM Modi had visited the Kedarnath temple and said that work on cable car ropeway to Kedarnath dham will begin soon.

In line with PM Modi's announcement, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday invited bids from private parties to build, maintain and operate a ropeway project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath via Gaurikund and another from Govind Ghat to Hemkund Sahib via Ghangaria in Uttarakhand.

"The Government of India had entrusted to the Authority the development, maintenance and operation of Ropeway Project from Sonprayag – Gaurikund - Kedarnath in the state of Uttarakhand on Hybrid Annuity Mode," reads the document released by the National Highways Logistics Management Limited, a 100 per cent owned special purpose vehicle of the NHAI.

The project will be developed on design, build, operate and transfer (the “DBOT Annuity” or “Hybrid Annuity”) basis.

The length of the Sonprayag-Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project will be 13 km and the estimated cost of the project will be over Rs 985 crore.

While the earlier plan was to build a ropeway from Gaurikund to Kedarnath shrine, but it was later decided to shift the starting point to Sonprayag. The 16-km trekking route to the shrine starts at Gaurikund. The motorable distance between Sonprayag and Gaurikund is 8 kms.

Set to be longest ropeway in the world at an altitude of 11,500 feet above sea level, it will significantly reduce the time taken by pilgrims to reach Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district. The ropeway will enable them to travel from Sonprayag to Kedarnath in 60 minutes.

The last date for submission of online-only bids for the project will be 10 March 2022, following which the bids will be opened on 11 March.