In a move aimed at boosting tourism in the hilly States like Uttarakhand and those in the Northeast, a high-level committee comprising members from Niti Ayog and Union Tourism Ministry has recommended accordance of infra status to the ropeways and cable cars, that are also being touted as a cheaper and easier alternative mode of transport in the hilly terrains.
In a meeting of the Institutional Mechanism on the Harmonised Master list of Infrastructure Sub-sectors held recently, the Department of Economic Affairs (DoE) after detailed deliberation has recommended including ropeway/cable car under the infra status, said sources in the Tourism Ministry.
The proposal was moved by the Tourism Ministry following representation from the States like Uttarakhand as well as global companies in the business of ropeways and cable cars like Austrian company Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group, apprising them of the benefits of having such a system here.
The Ministry also stated that “there is unique requirement of ropeway projects in high-altitude terrain for boosting tourism in Uttarakhand, Northeast and other Himalayan States and that internationally too ropeways have made a great contribution in attracting tourists to the hilly areas.
“It is not only an environmental friendly and green technology but has potential to facilitate tourist and pilgrims in extreme weather conditions and evacuations during natural calamities like flash floods,” the Ministry said in a bid to support its case.
The sources said that in the meeting, Niti Ayog supported the proposal stating that passenger ropeway/cable car projects appear to have equally social returns in hilly areas like infrastructure projects by facilitating movement of people to different altitudes.
Ropeway/cable car is one of the many modes of transport systems that the Government is looking as a way to solve urban transportation and environmental issues besides increasing revenue from tourism.
The official said the Uttarakhand Government wanted infrastructure status for the medium as the land needed to develop a ropeway is little and there were no land acquisition issues. The State has also proposed linking of Haridwar with Rishikesh and Dehradun with Mussoorie to reduce the burden on the roads.