Palampur ropeway project hangs fire despite Centre’s approval

Ravinder Sood

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Palampur, February 19

The Central Government has given approval to the Palampur-Thathri-Chunja Glacier Ropeway Project but so far, no work has been done on it. Ropeways and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation (RTDC) HP Limited and National Highways Logistic Management Limited (NHLML) had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the project but still it was hanging fire for the past seven years.

In December last year, Union Surface and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had approved the 13.5-km ropeway project. As per the MoU, the revised cost of the project was Rs 605 crore. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was also keen on the early completion of the project and had constituted a team of experts in April, 2023, to complete the task. He had taken up the matter with the Union Government and had assured the Centre of full cooperation and quick acquisition of land for the project.

Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar said that he had been making efforts to get the project expedited since 1990. However, because of red tape , no progress could be made, he added.

He said that he was hopeful that the present Congress government would complete the project, boosting tourism and fulfilling Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s dream of making Kangra the tourism capital of the state.

The 13.5-km ropeway was proposed to connect Palampur with the Chunja glacier in the Dhauladhars at a height of 12,000 feet. It would take 31 minutes to reach the snow-covered peaks of Dhauladhars from Palampur using the ropeway.