Ropeways and road-widening to improve travel times in remote regions
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has laid the foundation stones of road and ropeway projects worth more than Rs.3,400 crore in Mana, Uttarakhand, on 21 Oct 2022.
The 9.7-km ropeway in Kedarnath will connect Gaurikund to Kedarnath, thereby reducing the travel time between the two places from 6-7 hours at present to merely 30 mins.
The 12.4-km Hemkund ropeway will connect Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib, reducing travel time from more than a day to only about 45 mins. This ropeway will also connect Ghangaria, which is the gateway to Valley of Flowers National Park.
To be developed at a cumulative cost of around Rs.2,430 crore, the ropeways will be an environment-friendly mode of transport making the journey safe, secure and stable.
This major infrastructure development will give a boost to religious tourism, thereby providing a fillip to the economic development in the region and leading to the creation of multiple employment opportunities.
The Rs.1,000 crore two road widening projects – from Mana to Mana Pass (NH07) and from Joshimath to Malari (NH107B) – is another step towards providing last-mile all-weather road connectivity to our border areas. Apart from boosting connectivity, these projects will also prove beneficial from a strategic point of view as well. fiinews.com
