Kangra: Firm gets notice for termination of Himani Chamunda ropeway project in Kangra

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, February 23

The Tourism Department has issued notice to Usha Braco for the termination of the ropeway project allotted to the company in 2015 for the Himani Chamunda temple in Kangra district.

Sources said the notice had been issued as no progress had been made on the project for the past seven years.

During the stint of the previous Congress government, MoUs were signed for two ropeway projects in Kangra district, one connecting Dharamsala with McLeodganj and the other connecting the Chamunda temple with the Himani Chamunda temple located at 12000 feet. The Dharamsala-McLeodganj ropeway was inaugurated last month.

The sources told The Tribune that till date even the land survey for the ropeway had not been cleared by the government. The ropeway to the temple was expected to boost religious tourism and it involved an investment of about Rs 350 crore.

There was a proposal to set up a hotel and a restaurant just below the temple to make the project viable.

Former minister and AICC secretary Sudhir Sharma has lashed out at the government for initiating the process of cancelling the MoU. Sudhir in a statement issued here said the government had failed to attract any investment in the last four years despite the investors’ summit in Dharamsala .

Instead of creating environment for bringing up the ropeway project, the government had made up its mind to cancel the project. This illustrated the apathy of the government to Kangra district, he alleged.

Was Rs 350-cr project

• A memorandum of Understanding was signed for the project in Kangra district but no progress has been made in seven years.
• The Dharamsala-McLeodganj ropeway was inaugurated last month. But till date, even the land survey for the Himani Chamunda ropeway has not been cleared.
• The ropeway to the temple was expected to boost religious tourism. It involved an investment of about Rs350 crore.