Himachal to go in for more ropeways, says CM Thakur

Lalit Mohan

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Dharamsala, January 20

The Himachal Pradesh Government would push for building more ropeways for public transport, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said here today.

In an interview with The Tribune, Thakur said he had raised the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the Union ministries of Surface Transport and Finance. In fact, the state had proposed to the Centre a ropeway scheme funded centrally on the pattern of Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). “Over 50 per cent of rural roads in Himachal have been built under the PMGSY. If a similar scheme is launched for ropeways, it will help improve connectivity in remote areas. It’s an eco-friendly mode and may even prove cost-effective compared to roads,” he said.

Relief for school Board pensioners

• The CM met a delegation of HP Board of School Education employees and pensioners. He announced restoration of medical reimbursement for pensioners, which was stopped by the Congress government in 2014. This would put a burden of Rs1.6 crore on the board, but benefit 700 pensioners

The CM said it was on his persuasion that the Centre had established a ropeways corporation. “Detailed project reports will soon be prepared for ropeways in different parts of the state. Already, a project in Mandi has reached tender stage,” he said.

On expanding Gaggal airport, he said for this, the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane highway needed to be realigned and the matter had been taken up with the National Highways Authority of India. About Mandi international airport, he said an MoU would soon be signed between the Airports Authority of India and the Himachal Government. The CM held meetings with various BJP block organisations of Kangra district to gather feedback for forming a strategy for the Assembly poll. He later inaugurated a cow sanctuary at Multhan in Kangra.