Aerial lift in India

The ropeway in India (also known as aerial lift, cable car or chair lift) is a public transportation system where cabins, gondolas or open chairs are hauled above the ground with the help of cables.[1][2] India's Parvatmala Scheme (literally "mountain garland scheme"), the world's largest ropeway project, envisages spending ₹1,250 billion (US$16 billion) in public–private partnership (PPP) mode over five years till 2030 to build 200 new ropeway projects of more than 1200 km length, which will decongest the traffic in narrow roads of big cities and provide cheaper connectivity in mountainous and touristy areas.[3] Since 30% of India is covered by mountains,[3] the ropeways are specially useful in mountainous areas, where it is difficult to build roads or railway, as lower cost and higher Return on investment (ROI) projects.[1][2] Rajgir Ropeway in Bihar, 333m-long chairlift ropeway built in 1960s, is India's first ropeway.[4] As of 2024, the 4km-long Auli Ropeway in Uttarakhand is India's longest[5] and world's the second-longest ropeway behind Vietnam's 7,899.9 m long Hòn Thơm cable car,[6] and when completed the under-construction 5.5km-long Mussoorie-Dehradun Ropeway will be the longest in India.[5] Kashi ropeway is India's first urban ropeway,[7] and world's third urban public transport ropeway behind Bolivia's Mi Teleférico opened in 2014 and Mexico City's Mexicable opened in 2021.[8] This article also contains a list of "glass bridges in India" ("glass skywalks in India"), which are mostly glass bridge skywalk.

Rajgir Ropeway in Bihar, India's first ropeway
Girnar Ropeway
Gulmarg Gondola – The Cable Car of Gulmarg

History

In 1960s, the first modern ropeway in India was built at Rajgir, which was a gift to the Vishwa Shanti Stupa, Rajgir by the famous Japanese Buddhist monk Fuji Guruji ([[Nichidatsu Fujii Nichidatsu Fujii]]) and socialist leader Jai Prakash Narayan was the first person to take a ropeway ride.[4]

List of ropeways

Andhra Pradesh

Ropeways in Andhra Pradesh are:

  • Srisailam ropeway: It was constructed in year 2005. It is 700 m long, mono-cable PFG ropeway.
  • Visakhapatnam ropeway: It is a 800 PPH (person per hour) capacity, 350 m long ropeway at Kailasagiri.

Arunachal Pradesh

Ropeways in Arunachal Pradesh are:

Assam

Ropeways in Assam are:

  • Guwahati Umananda Island ropeway: Twin-track, bi-cable, double reversible jigback ropeway of 1800m length and 250 PPH capacity is India's longest river ropeway. It is built across Brahmaputra river over Umanand Island and allows easy transportation to and from North Guwahati.

Gujarat

Ropeways in Gujarat are:

  • Ambaji ropeway, Ambaji, Gujarat - Installed by Project M/s S.N Lall , MEC ( Aarconinfra Ropeways ) for client Usha Breco Limited, known as Ambaji Udan Kahtola. Ropeways also known as 4th busiest ropeway of India. This ropeway is at Maa Ambaji Devi Temple since 1998. This ropeway has 760PPH capacity.
  • Girnar ropeway at Girnar in Junagadh: Started in 2020, was Asia's longest ropeway at the time of its construction.[9]
  • Saputara ropeway
  • Pavagadh ropeway to Kalika Mata Temple: It was built in 1986. After it was upgraded in 2005 to 1320 PPH capacity with modern technology, it became highest capacity in India. It is third busiest ropeway of India.

Haryana

Ropeways in Haryana are:

Himachal Pradesh

Ropeways in Himachal Pradesh are:

  • Bilaspur ropeway: It is one of the 7 ropeway projects, of 60.6 km combined length, approved for construction in Himachal Pradesh in September 2022 at the total combined cost of nearly INR2964 crore (~US$355 million).[10]
  • Chamba ropeway: It is one of the 7 ropeway projects in Himachal approved for construction in September 2022.[10]
  • Dharamshala ropeway: It is one of the 7 ropeway projects in Himachal approved for construction in September 2022.[10]
  • Kangra ropeway: It is one of the 7 ropeway projects in Himachal approved for construction in September 2022.[10]
  • Kullu ropeway: It is one of the 7 ropeway projects in Himachal approved for construction in September 2022.[10]
  • Devi ropeway: It was built in 1997 with 800 PPH capacity.
  • Parwanoo Timber Trail ropeway: It is India's first Hill to Hill ropeway which is 1.8 km long without pillars in between the LTP (Lower Terminal point) and UTP (Upper Terminal Point). This bi-cable ropeway, with capacity of 1000 PPH, was built in 1988 for the Timber Trail Resort.
  • Shimla Jakhu Temple ropeway: This is 410 m long , double-grip, mono cable ropeway, with 400 PPH capacity was built in 2017.
  • Shimla Tara Devi Temple ropeway: It was approved for construction in September 2022. This 14.67 km long ropeway with 15 stations will cost INR1546 crore (~US$200 million).[10]
  • Sirmaur ropeway: It is one of the 7 ropeway projects in Himachal approved for construction in September 2022.[10]

Jammu and Kashmir

Ropeways in Jammu and Kashmir are:

  • Gulmarg Gondola at Gulmarg: This ski resort has the 2nd highest cable car in the world and Asia's highest and longest cable car reaching an altitude of 13,400 ft.[11]
  • Jammu ropeway: it is 1.65 km long cable car, with first section from Peer Kho to the Mahamaya temple over the Tawi River and second section is from the Mahamaya temple to the Bahu Fort.
  • Srinagar cable car: Leads to the Sufi Shrine of Makhdoom Sahib on Hari Parbat.
  • Vaishno Devi ropeway: It is a 375 m long, bi-cable, double reversible jigback ropeway with 800 PPH capacity to carry passengers from The Bhavan to Bhairon temple.

Jharkhand

Ropeways in Jharkhand are:

  • Deogarh Trikut ropeway: Trikut is cluster of three peaks of the Trikut Hill which signify the holy trinity in Hinduism of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. It has 500 PPH capacity that takes passengers to the top of the hill offering a great view of the holy town of Deogarh.

Madhya Pradesh

Ropeways in Madhya Pradesh are:

  • Bhopal ropeway: 400 PPH capacity, 600 m long ropeway.
  • Bheraghat ropeway at Marble Rocks in Jabalpur is under construction.
  • Chitrakoot ropeway: 302 m long ropeway with 500 PPH capacity. This Aerial Ropeway is situated at Hanuman Dhara in Chitrakoot in Madhya Pradesh.
  • Dewas ropeway: 400 PPH capacity 367 m long ropeway ascends from the junction of two national highways right up to Maa Chamunda Temple and Tulja Bhawani Mata Temple, while simultaneously being home to a Jain Temple and a Mosque.
  • Maihar Maa Sharda Devi ropeway: It was built in 2009 with 800 PPH capacity.

Odisha

Ropeways in Odisha are:

Rajasthan

Ropeways in Rajasthan are:

  • Jodhpur Siddhanath ropeway: Started construction in 2020.
  • Pushkar ropeway at Savitri Mata Temple: Takes 6 minutes to cover a distance of 720 mtrs.

Sikkim

Ropeways in Sikkim are:

  • Gangtok ropeway: Built in 2003, this ropeway ferries tourists from one part of the city to another and offers a panoramic view of the full Gangtok city. This ropeway also serves to de-congest the city.
  • Namchi ropeway: It is a 2.75 km long cable car.

Uttarakhand

Ropeways in Uttarakhand are:

  • Auli:
    • Auli ropeway: This is 4.2 km ropeway constructed in 1987 by Aarconinfra Ropeways ( earlier Method & Erectofab Consultant) and it was then considered as India's longest and second longest ropeway in Asia at the time of its construction.[12]
  • Haridwar
    • Chandi Devi Temple Udan Khatola: It was constructed in 1997 and has 800 PPH capacity.
    • Mansa Devi Temple Udan Khatola: Haridwar is India's first city with two passenger ropeways. This ropeway, built in 1981 with 800 PPH capacity, is the busiest ropeway of India.
  • Mussoorie
    • Mussoorie ropeway: It is India's first cabin /gondola based ropeway which was constructed in 1971 by Aarconinfra Ropeways ( earlier Method & Erectofab Consultant) and It is 400m long, bi-able zig back with 400 PPH capacity.[13]
  • Nainital
    • Nainital ropeway: Constructed in 1990 by Aarconinfra Ropeways ( earlier Method & Erectofab Consultant), it is 2270m long bi-cable, zig-back, 1200 PPH capacity ropeway with 2 wagons which can carry 8 persons each. [14]
  • Surkanda Devi
    • Surkanada Devi Temple Udan Khatola: Constructed in 2022 It is the highest ropeway in Uttarakhand at the elevation of 2750m.

Uttar Pradesh

Ropeways in Uttar Pradesh are:

West Bengal

Ropeways in West Bengal are:

  • Darjeeling ropeway: 2000 PPD capacity, 2.3 km long, detachable-grip type, six-seater, multi-cabin, gondola type ropeway.
  • Digha cable car: It was built in 2015 is within the premises of Amrabati Park and traverses the beautiful lake and greenery of the park. Digha is a seaside resort town in Purba Medinipur district and at the northern end of the Bay of Bengal.
  • Kolkata Science City ropeway: Built in 1998, with 500 PPH capacity in the heart of city Kolkata.[19]
  • Nicco Park

List of Glass Bridges

This is a list of Glass Bridges in India, categorised by states.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Tracing the course of infra technology : Indian ropeways have been used since the 1970s". Financial Express. 20 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Top 5 ropeways rides in India". Intermiles. 26 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b जमीन के बाद आसमान में 'सड़क' बनाएंगे गडकरी, खर्च होंगे 1.25 लाख करोड़, दुनिया का सबसे बड़ा प्रोजेक्‍ट शुरू, News18, 24 Jan 2024.
  4. ^ a b Rajgir: Bihar's highest revenue earning tourist destination is a story of neglect, India Today, 5 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b India's longest ropeway is a game-changer for Mussoorie and Dehradun, India Today, 26 Oct 2023.
  6. ^ Hon Thom Cable Car (Vietnam): The longest cable car in Southeast Asia, aseanrecords.world, 6 may 2022.
  7. ^ ‘Amazing confluence of faith and technology’: PM Modi on India’s first urban ropeway system in Varanasi. Top points, Hindustan Times, 29 mar 2023.
  8. ^ India To Be Third Country To Have Public Transport Ropeway. Here's A Look At Other Nations Where It Operates,Abp Live, 23 mar 2023.
  9. ^ "Rajkot: 33-year-long wait over, Girnar ropeway project gets green nod". The Indian Express. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g शिमला में बनेगा एक और रोपवे, तारा देवी को शहर से जोड़ेगा, 1546 करोड़ रुपये होंगे खर्च, News18, 16 sept 2022.
  11. ^ "A Family Ski Adventure in the Himalayas".
  12. ^ "Auli-Joshimath ropeway reopens after over 6 months". Times of Indi. 20 October 2020.
  13. ^ Aarconinfra Ropeways.
  14. ^ Aarconinfra Ropeways.
  15. ^ Staff Reporter (2022-12-28). "VS Engg bags contract to build India's first urban ropeway project in Varanasi". Metro Rail News. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  16. ^ "PM to lay foundation for India's 1st public transport ropeway in Kashi tomorrow". Hindustan Times. 2023-03-23. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  17. ^ "Varanasi news today: PM Modi lays foundation of India's first public transport ropeway worth Rs 645 crores in Kashi - Check Varanasi ropeway project map, tender and other details". TimesNow. 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-29.
  18. ^ "Ropeway Project: रोपवे बनने से खत्म हो जाएंगे काशी विद्यापीठ के चार विभाग, भारत माता मंदिर के अस्तित्व पर भी संकट". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  19. ^ [1].
  20. ^ a b c Glass Bridges in India, housing.com, accessed 2 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Enjoy a thrilling walk on India's longest glass bridge at Vagamon". OnManorama. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
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