-Aditya Amitabh Trivedii
New Delhi, 5 March : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the construction of a 12.4 km ropeway project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji in Uttarakhand. The project will be developed under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana in Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) mode, with a total capital cost of ₹2,730.13 crore.

Currently, the 21-km uphill journey to Hemkund Sahib Ji is completed on foot, by ponies, or in palanquins, making it a physically demanding pilgrimage. The proposed ropeway will provide all-weather last-mile connectivity to pilgrims and tourists visiting Hemkund Sahib Ji and the Valley of Flowers, significantly easing travel.

The project will be developed through a public-private partnership (PPP) and will use Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) technology from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km), seamlessly integrating with the Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km). It will have a design capacity of 1,100 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), carrying up to 11,000 passengers per day.

Apart from enhancing connectivity, the ropeway project will generate substantial employment during construction and operation while boosting tourism-related industries like hospitality, travel, and food & beverages (F&B).

Situated at 15,000 ft in Chamoli district, Hemkund Sahib Ji is one of the most revered Sikh pilgrimage sites. The Gurudwara remains open for about five months (May to September) and attracts 1.5 to 2 lakh pilgrims annually. Additionally, the trek to Hemkund Sahib Ji serves as the gateway to the Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Garhwal Himalayas.

This strategic infrastructure project is expected to foster socio-economic development, improve accessibility, and drive economic growth in the region.