India’s Longest Ropeway In Himachal: A 40 Km Ride Between Parwanoo And Shimla To Cut Travel Time To Two Hours By 2030

To ease traffic congestion and significantly reduce travel time to Shimla, the Himachal Pradesh government is set to launch the country's longest ropeway project. 

This ambitious venture, which spans a 40 km stretch between Parwanoo and Shimla, aims to cut travel time down to just two hours. 

The state government plans to issue a global tender for the project by the end of this month or early next month, with construction expected to commence soon after the tendering process is completed.

The ropeway will feature 11 stations along its route, including Tara Devi (Goyal Motors), Tara Devi Temple, Shoghi, Waknaghat, Waknaghat IT City, Karol Ka Tibba, Solan, Barog, Dagshai Cantonment, Jabali, and Parwanoo. 

Passengers will have the flexibility to travel the entire length or disembark at any of the stations, based on their preferences. Ticket counters will be installed at all stations, and the pricing structure will be finalised once the project is completed, which is anticipated by 2030. 

The cable system will either use a mono-cable detachable gondola (MDG) system, capable of carrying 8 to 10 passengers, or the tri-cable 3S technology, with a higher capacity of up to 25 passengers per cable car.

The project is expected to relieve the significant traffic burden on the 90 km stretch between Shimla and Parwanoo, where 20,000 to 22,000 vehicles travel daily, and up to 45,000 during peak seasons. 

Currently, heavy apple-laden trucks often cause long delays, with travel times extending up to five hours. With the completion of the four-lane highway, however, travel time is expected to be reduced.

Ajay Sharma, Director of Ropeways Transport Development Corporation (RTDC), revealed that the estimated cost of the ropeway project is Rs 5,571 crore, and it will be completed under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. 

The project is set to carry about 904 passengers per hour in each direction, with an estimated 25 lakh passengers annually. By 2063, it is expected to reach its peak capacity of one crore passengers.