New Delhi, March 5 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the construction of two ropeway projects at a cost of Rs 6,811 crore to provide last mile connectivity to pilgrims visiting the holy temple at Kedarnath and the Gurudwara at Hemkund Sahib, both in Uttarakhand.
The 12.9 km ropeway project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs. 4,081.28 crore, according to the official statement issued after the CCEA meeting.
The 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 ropeway project will be a boon to the pilgrims visiting Kedarnath as it would provide environment-friendly, comfortable, fast connectivity and reduce travel time in one direction from about 8 to 9 hours to about 36 minutes, the statement said.
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 projects 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 helicopters.
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 metres (11968 feet) in the Rudraprayag district 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.
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