Cabinet approves Kedarnath ropeway project for Rs 4,081 crore

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Kedarnath ropeway project, set to be development with an investment of Rs 4,081 crore, to enhance accessibility and tourism in the region.

"The Cabinet has approved development of 12.9 km long ropeway project from Sonprayag to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand under National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana. The total cost of the project will be Rs 4,081.28 crore," said Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the Cabinet briefing.

Parvatmala Pariyojana is a government program which aims to boost tourism in remote hilly areas.


The Cabinet also gave its nod to Hemkund Sahib ropeway project, which will span 12.4 km, and is worth Rs 2,730 crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.

"The Cabinet approves development of 12.4 km long ropeway project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji in Uttarakhand. The total capital cost of the project is Rs 2,730.13 crore," Vaishnaw added.

Both projects will be implemented under the Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) model.

Initially, the estimated cost for the 13-km Sonprayag-Gaurikund-Kedarnath ropeway project was around Rs 1,200 crore, while the 12.5-km Govind Ghat-Ghangaria-Hemkund Sahib ropeway was pegged at Rs 850 crore, reported ToI.

These estimates have since been revised.

The Kedarnath ropeway, set to be one of the longest in the world, will be constructed at an altitude of 3,583 meters above sea level.

Once completed, it will allow pilgrims and tourists to reach Kedarnath from Sonprayag in just 60 minutes, compared to the current 6-7 hour trek.

The project is expected to accommodate 3,600 passengers per hour in each direction.

Similarly, the 12.5 km ropeway to Hemkund Sahib via Ghangaria will reduce the travel time to just 45 minutes.

Currently, the 19 km trek from Govind Ghat to Hemkund Sahib takes about 12 hours. Ghangaria is the entry point to the Valley of Flowers National Park.