Hemkund Sahib ropeway project should be completed on war footing: RS MP urges Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi [India], October 19 (ANI): Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Vikramjit Singh Sahney urged Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for the swift completion of the long-pending project of the ropeway connecting Gobind Ghat to Gurudwara Sri Hemkund Sahib in Uttrakhand.
Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib is a holy place for Sikhs and around 5000 visitors visit it every day. For this, they have to travel by road up to Gobind Ghat and after that on foot or by horses making a night halt at Gobind Dham while tackling inclement weather, landslides and steep climbs.
"This ropeway project was announced and initiated by NHAI and Uttrakhand government a few years back but the project has not seen the light of the day yet. The estimated project cost was Rs 850 crores, the government had invited bids for Public Private Partnership (PPP) but the government was not able to attract any private player for the project erstwhile," Singh said.
Sahney said that the National Highway Authority of India should take over the project and start work on it which will benefit lakhs of pilgrims.
"Some of the pilgrims are elderly and the commencement of this project will also boost economic activities and tourism in the region," he said.
The demand for the ropeway comes after the unfortunate helicopter crash in Kedarnath in which six pilgrims and a pilot lost their life.
Speaking about the incident Singh said, "Unfortunate incidents can be stopped if the long-awaited ropeways of Gurudwara Hemkunt Sahib and Kedarnath Dham are in place."
Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Hemkund Ropeway on October 21.
According to PMO, ropeway will be around 12.4 km long and will reduce travel time from more than a day to only about 45 minutes. It will also connect Ghangaria, which is the gateway to Valley of Flowers National Park.
Ropeways are an environmental friendly mode of transport that provide safe, secure and stable mode of transport. This major infrastructure development will give a boost to religious tourism, which will give a fillip to the economic development in the region and lead to creation of multiple employment opportunities as well. (ANI)