New Delhi: To enhance the tourist infrastructure in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved two ropeway projects--at Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib.
Once completed, these ambitious projects will facilitate a quick and seamless experience for visitors to both popular pilgrim sites.
The one at Kedarnath is a 12.9 km ropeway project starting from Sonprayag Kedarnath. It will be developed using a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) mode and has a total capital cost of Rs 4,081.28 crore.
The ropeway is planned to be developed in a public-private partnership and will be based on the most advanced Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology. Its design capacity is 1,800 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), and it can carry 18,000 passengers per day.
The ropeway project will be a boon to pilgrims visiting Kedarnath. It would provide environment-friendly, comfortable, and fast connectivity and reduce travel time in one direction from about 8 to 9 hours to about 36 minutes.
The ropeway project will also generate substantial employment opportunities during construction and operations as well as in allied tourism industries like hospitality, travel, foods and beverages (F&B) and tourism throughout the year.
The development of the ropeway project is a significant step towards fostering balanced socio-economic development, enhancing last-mile connectivity in hilly regions, and fostering rapid economic growth.
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.
Moving on to the ropeway project at Hemkund Sahib, the project will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs 2,730.13 crore.
Currently, the journey to the Hemkund Sahib is a challenging 21-km uphill trek from Govindghat, which is covered on foot or by ponies or palanquins. The proposed ropeway is planned to provide convenience to pilgrims visiting the Hemkund Sahib Ji and tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers and will ensure all-weather last-mile connectivity between Govindghat and Hemkund Sahib Ji.
The ropeway is planned to be developed in a public-private partnership and will be based on a Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km), seamlessly integrated with the most advanced Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km). Its design capacity is 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), carrying 11,000 passengers per day.
The ropeway project 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 project is a significant step towards fostering balanced socio-economic development, enhancing last-mile connectivity for pilgrims, and fostering rapid economic growth in the region.
Hemkund Sahib Ji is a highly revered pilgrimage site situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
The Gurudwara established at the holy site is open for about five months a year, between May and September, and is visited by 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 in the pristine Garhwal Himalayas recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Modi is set to visit the Himalayan state on Thursday.
"We are committed to further strengthening the state's economy by promoting tourism in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand," he wrote on X in Hindi before his visit.
Prime Minister Modi will visit Uttarakhand on Thursday morning and perform pooja and darshan at the winter seat of Maa Ganga in Mukhwa. At around 10:40 AM, he will flag off a trek and bike rally and also address the gathering at a public function in Harsil.
The Uttarakhand government has initiated a Winter Tourism programme this year. Thousands of devotees have already visited the winter seats of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The programme aims to promote religious tourism and boost the local economy, homestays, and tourism businesses, among others.
