2 bids received, work on Rs 2,100 cr Shimla ropeway may begin soon

Work on the Rs 2,100 crore Shimla Innovative Urban Ropeway project could begin soon as two bids have been received for the setting up of the project in private public partnership (PPP) mode.

The project, which will be the second-biggest aerial transport system in the world, is aimed at decongesting the state capital from traffic jams. The cost of the project, which will have 13 boarding and de-boarding stations which will link most parts of the town, has shot up from Rs 1,555 crore in 2022 to Rs 2,100 crore.

The state government has also extended the deadline for receiving bids from prospective investors for the other aerial ropeway project between Parwanoo-Shimla from June 6 to July 7. “We have received a lot of queries from interested bidders which we are trying to address. The deadline has been extended by a month to enable the bidders to satisfy themselves,” said Ajay Sharma, Director, Ropeways and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation.

“We have received bids from two companies — Vishwa Samudra and Bridge and Roof — for executing the Shimla urban ropeway project. Bridge and Roof, a Government of India undertaking, has been disqualified on technical grounds,” said Sharma.

Initially, the Himachal Government had posed the ropeway project to the New Development Bank for funding, but later, it was decided to undertake it on PPP mode. The 13.65 km-long ropeway is expected to reduce road congestion, especially during peak office and school hours. Besides, it is expected to not just emerge as a major tourist attraction but also reduce the number of tourist vehicles entering the town.

The Shimla ropeway, once complete, will emerge as the longest urban ropeway in the country and the second-longest in the world after La Paz in Bolivia. It will have a capacity of 3,000 persons per hour per direction. The latest mono cable detachable Gondola technology will be used and the cabins will have a capacity of 10 persons.

The 40.73km Shimla-Parwanooo ropeway will also be executed under the PPP mode. The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 5,571.91 crore. It could reduce travel time considerably from the present almost four hours, which could stretch to six hours on a weekend when the traffic congestion is really bad, especially on weekends.

Successive governments have been keen to lay thrust on setting up aerial ropeways and construct tunnels to reduce traffic congestion and cut down distances between various locations, especially in the hills. Also, aerial ropeways emerge as a major attraction and help in tourism promotion.