A ropeway of 1.1 km is proposed to be constructed for the Mata Chintpurni Temple in Himachal's Una district at an estimated cost of Rs 76.50 crore, officials said on Tuesday.

To give impetus to religious tourism in the state, the state government is contemplating connecting a few religious shrines with ropeways for easy accessibility and strengthening the existing infrastructural facilities and Mata Chintpurni Temple ropeway is one of them.

The Mata Chintpurni Temple holds historical and spiritual significance and is recognised as one of the Shakti Peeths, and this modern transportation system would facilitate 700 passengers per hour in each direction.

Currently, access to the temple is limited to a single-lane road from the Baba Mai Dass Bhawan parking area. During religious occasions such as Navratris, overcrowding and congestion have been persistent issues and the introduction of the ropeway will be a vital step in addressing these challenges, officials added.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has set a goal to attract five crore tourists annually and religious tourism would play a crucial role in achieving this target, the statement said.  Himachal Pradesh, known as Devbhoomi (land of gods), is home to numerous historic temples that draw lakhs of devotees every year.

After religious circuit HRTC buses to ply on medical circuit soon:  Deputy CM Agnihotri

The Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC) would start a medical circuit soon for patients visiting hospitals in the state and outside, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said on Tuesday.

The HRTC, which started a religious circuit bus service by plying buses to renowned temples, would also ply buses to the PGI Chandigarh, AIIMS Delhi, Medical College Tanda in Kangra, AIIMS Bilapsur and other such routes in the future, he told media persons in Shimla.

Flagging off the third bus service under the Pratham Darshan Seva, from the interstate bus terminal, Tutikandi, in Shimla to Mata Bhangayni in Sirmaur with culmination of the route at Lani Barad, Agnihotri, who also holds the transport portfolio, said routes of religious destinations would be redesigned and 100 such routes would be identified for running the HRTC buses under this scheme.

He said buses would also be started for Ayodhya, Haridwar, Amritsar, other temples in the state and the Buddhist circuit. The tariff per seat of the bus service launched on Tuesday is Rs 456. The bus would start from Shimla at 6:30 am. Earlier, bus services were started from Dharamshala to Chintpurni Mata Temple and Jawalamukhi Temple and from Chintpurni Mata in Una district to Khatushyam in Rajasthan.