New Delhi: Pilgrims, devotees and tourists across India could soon be experiencing a smoother journey to some of the country’s most pious and scenic destinations, as the central government is set to launch an ambitious plan to develop 18 major ropeway projects.
One of the most significant proposals is an 11.6-km ropeway from Baltal to the Amarnath shrine in Jammu and Kashmir. This scheme can potentially revolutionise the challenging pilgrimage by offering a safer, more affordable, and accessible alternative to the existing trekking and helicopter routes.
The Amarnath shrine, situated in the Himalayas, draws numerous devotees each year during the Amarnath Yatra, but the journey is physically exacting.
Another crucial ropeway plan is for the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, where devotees currently have to grapple with a tough climb from Pamba to the temple. The 2.62-km ropeway project is expected to make the journey less exacting for thousands of devotees visiting the place. Besides this, a 3.21-km ropeway to the Parvathamalai Temple in Tamil Nadu is also in the offing. The place holds profound spiritual significance, as it is believed to be a fragment of the Sanjeevani mountain mentioned in the Ramayana.
Not just religious sites, tourist destinations too
Apart from religious sites, the initiative also includes popular tourist destinations. One of the proposed schemes includes a 1.6-km ropeway from Sonamarg to the Thajiwas Glacier. This project is aimed at boosting tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
A 6.45-km ropeway is planned in Rajasthan to link the legendary Amer Fort and Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur, offering an aerial route between two of the state’s most magnificent historical landmarks.
The hill station of Mussoorie is also part of the government initiative, with plans for a 3.21-km ropeway to Kempty Falls, a popular destination for visitors across India. In Maharashtra, a 1.41-km ropeway to Shivneri Fort, the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is set to improve access to this historic landmark.
Karnataka’s highest peak, Mullayyana Giri, will be connected by a 2.38-km ropeway, creating new opportunities for tourism. In addition, several important Hindu temples are also set to benefit from the project.
Ropeway projects have been proposed for several key temples, including Chamunda Devi Temple (Himachal Pradesh), Kunjapuri Temple (Uttarakhand), Jwala Narsimha Swamy Temple (Andhra Pradesh), Sri Boyakonda Gangamma Temple (Andhra Pradesh), Salkanpur Wali Mata Mandir (Madhya Pradesh), and Bhuban Pah Mahadev Temple (Assam).
The project is a part of the ‘Parvatmala Pariyojana,’ overseen by the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a statutory body under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Construction is in progress for Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Mata Vaishno Devi (J&K), and Shankaracharya Temple (Srinagar) under this initiative.
