New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has given in-principal approval to the innovative Urban Transport Ropeway project worth Rs 1,546.4 crore for Shimla.
Thanking the Centre for approving the project, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said the state government had been pursuing this innovative urban transport ropeway project, having a network length of 14.69 km and 15 boarding and de-boarding stations since long. “The ropeway project would start off from Taradevi and would have a combination of smart parking, lifts and escalators integrated with the existing transport networks,” said Thakur.
“The fare charged on this mode of transportation would be more or less at par with the conventional transportation so that people were motivated to travel on this network instead of using their own vehicles,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that this project would be a game changer with tourists parking their vehicles at the entry point of Shimla and boarding the ropeway network. This eco-friendly mode of transportation will be a carbon-neutral project.
“The New Development Bank (NDB) has been approached for bilateral funding and the government is moving forward in this direction. The project would be completed by the Ropeway and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation in 5 years,” Chief Minister said.
The Chief Minister said after implementing the project, this system would also be developed in Dharamsala and Manali.