An engineering marvel, Mata Baglamukhi ropeway inaugurated in Mandi’s Pandoh
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today inaugurated the state-of-the-art Mata Baglamukhi Ropeway in Mandi district. The project, located along the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, connects Pandoh with the temple in Bakhli. This ropeway having a total length of 800 metres and constructed at a cost of Rs 53.89 crore promises a more efficient and scenic alternative transport mode than the 14-km road journey for pilgrims and tourists.
The Chief Minister said that the ropeway was a modern engineering marvel, which conform to the European CEN standards. “The ropeway operates at a speed of 6 metres per second (21.6 km/h) and can accommodate up to 600 passengers per hour,” he added.
He said that the project was a testament to the Congress government’s commitment to promoting tourism and facilitating pilgrims visiting the temple. In his address at the Bakhli Nature Park, the Chief Minister reiterated the government’s resolve to fulfil by December 11 seven key guarantees given to the people of Himachal Pradesh.
The Chief Minister criticised former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, who represents the Seraj constituency, for alleged mismanagement during the tenure of the previous BJP government. He accused Thakur of failing to take action on allegations of corruption and paper leak in the police recruitment exam and the functioning of the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission (HPSSC) in Hamirpur. The state government, Sukhu claimed, had dissolved the commission in the wake of these scandals.
He said that the previous BJP government had built several institutions in Seraj but failed to appoint staff and allocate adequate budget, which was a betrayal of the public faith. He added that the BJP governmemnt’s mismanagement left the state treasury in dire straits. When the BJP government exited, there was barely enough money to run the state for a month. In contrast, the Congress government had introduced policy reforms and taken measures to restore fiscal stability, he claimed.
The Chief Minister criticised the BJP for allegedly neglecting basic healthcare infrastructure. He said that the previous BJP government had failed to equip hospitals like at Ner Chowk with essential equipment, including MRI machines.
Sukhu also announced the construction of the Pandoh bridge and gave away certificates to the beneficiaries of the Mukhya Mantri Sukh-Aashray Yojana. He also provided land to two children under the scheme to for building houses and granted three biswas to two families, which had lost their properties in recent disasters. Furthermore, 14 beneficiaries of the Sukh Shiksha Yojana received certificates for educational support.
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri spoke about the growing importance of ropeway projects in Himachal Pradesh. He said that 1,000 new buses, including 350 electric ones, would be procured for the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) and tempo travellers would be introduced to improve public transport facilities in the state.
