It appears that the ropeway project at Nandi Hills — that had remained on paper for decades — is inching closer to reality.
Agreement signed
The officials of the Tourism Department said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai would be laying the foundation stone for the project at the popular tourist destination tentatively in the last week of February or the first week of March. This comes in the backdrop of the Department of Tourism signing a concession agreement for developing a passenger ropeway with Dyanamicx Ropeway Private Limited.
The ropeway will benefit around 30,000-50,000 people who visit the hills daily, with the numbers peaking around the weekend and holidays.
“The Tourism Department will provide the land needed and take care of various clearances required for the project, including safety and security. While the project will begin on the department land for now, there will also be an option to change the alignment to reduce the impact on the forest land,” said V. Ram Prasath Manohar, Director, Tourism Department.
He added that the project would put the area on the international tourism map. “This project will bring jobs and income to the locals, as well as bring in some revenue for the government. In addition, it will also help to reduce pollution in the hills and assist us in our mission to promote sustainable tourism,” he said.
The department also plans to develop certain revenue-generating and non-revenue-generating facilities at the upper and lower landing stations.
“These facilities would also cater to tourists staying at hotels and accommodation facilities around the location. Parking facilities for two-wheelers, four-wheelers, rental vehicles, and ATMs have been planned at the foothills,” said a press release from the department.
₹93.4 crore project
The project, with an alignment of around 2.93 km, is being developed at a cost of ₹93.4 crore on a PPP basis. The company will provide the Design, Build, Finance, Operate & Transfer (DBFOT) framework with a concession period of 30 years.
Kapil Mohan, Additional Chief Secretary, Tourism Department, said, “A fast and environment-friendly transportation facility like ropeway will save the time taken to reach Nandi Hills and reduce pollution in the area, apart from offering a scenic aerial view of the surrounding area.”
Published - February 14, 2023 11:02 pm IST
