This Ganesh Chaturthi, there’s good news for devotees of Lord Ganesh. The Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) of the Union Environment Ministry has given nod to the construction of a passenger ropeway connecting Rajasthan’s Jaipur city to the famous 18th century temple of Mandir Shree Ganesh located on the hills near Nahargarh Fort and Jaigarh Fort.

The project cost is around Rs 6 crore and is expected to be functional within the next two years. The ropeway will ferry around 300 people per hour, as per the project proposal.

Presently, pilgrims reach the foot of the hill by road and then climb around steep steps in the forest areas to reach the temple built by Maharaja Swai Jai Singh II when he performed the “Ashwamegha Yagya” before the establishment of the famous Pink City  Jaipur. Once the 282 meters long ropeway is functional, travel time will be reduced to 120 seconds with much comfort to the pilgrims. 

Giving approval, the Standing Committee of the NBWL put conditions such as no construction material will be carried except by service ropeway, no commercial activities will be undertaken in temple or project area and except for specific religious purposes, only ropeway should be used for visiting the temple. However, the project is yet to take approval from the Forest Advisory Committee as it falls in the forest area.

According to mythological legends, Ganesha is present in the temple in the form of a small child – Purushakriti. Located at the top in the Aravali hills, close to the Nahargarh hill. In the Garh Ganesha temple, Lord Ganesha is established in the statue of child Ganesha – Vigra Purushakriti (without trunk). This unique idol of Lord Gnesha draws a large number of devotees.

On Wednesday, the temple witnesses 5000 to 8,000 footfalls which swells to 9,000 to 10,000 during the festive period. “On Sundays and holidays, the footfall is 4000 to 5000 while on normal days, it is 1500 to 2,000.