Wildlife panel defers ropeway project passing through Rajaji Tiger Reserve

Expressing concern over construction in the core zone of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, the standing committee for National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has deferred Uttarakhand Government’s ropeway project from Triveni Ghat to Neelkanth Mahadev Mandir at Rishikesh for the second time.

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Uttarakhand Metro Rail Urban Infra and Building Construction Corporation Ltd-agencies has proposed the diversion of 4.5465 ha of land from Rajaji Tiger Reserve for the development of ropeway under the PPP model.

Core zones of tiger reserves are kept away from construction activities so that inviolate space for tigers are reserved.

While the state government has recommended the proposal, the NBWL in December 2024, had asked the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to see if the proposal could be passed in the meeting.

In March, the NTCA recommended that a team of representatives from Union Environment Ministry, Wildlife Institute of India, Uttarakhand Forest Department and Uttarakhand Metro Rail Urban Infra should be constituted by the standing committee so that a detailed site visit could be undertaken. The NTCA submitted its report vide dated April 28, 2025, recommended the proposal for approval with certain observations and recommendations.

At present, there is a 27-km road passing through the core zone of the tiger reserve, leading to the temple. “The report of the NTCA recommended severe restrictions on the road and advised for use by local villagers for bonafide purposes only. However, the road is used by Kawariyas and it may not be possible to impose restrictions during that time. This ropeway is an eco-friendly way of transportation. If the proposal is considered, it would be beneficial for the people of Rishikesh and Uttarakhand,” RK Mishra, Chief Wildlife Warden of Uttarakhand said, according to the minutes of the meeting.

A member of the NBWL, Dr R Sukumar, said that in the past, the NTCA had not recommended projects inside the core zone of the tiger reserve, barring exceptional circumstances, such as in the Namdapha Tiger Reserve. He suggested that if the project is proposed near the boundary of the tiger reserve, this area may be taken out from the boundary of the tiger reserve by altering its boundaries.

The standing committee has asked the Uttarakhand Government to justify the location of the project inside the tiger reserve in the next meeting. The committee decided to defer the proposal for the next meeting for further examination.