Kasauli ropeway plan finds no takers, tenders called off

Solan, February 2

Tenders for the 3.88-km ropeway project — that was slated to reduce distance between Kasauli and Jabli on the Parwanoo-Dharampur National Highway-5 — have been called off as promoters did not show interest in the project nearly two years after it was mooted.

Comes a cropper

• Project was offered on a public private partnership mode, but promoters despite making initial enquiries did not show further interest
• Officials hope that once other ropeways are set up in the state, the promoters will evince interest in this project
• Though several ropeway projects are being set up in Himachal, safety aspect has been a cause for concern

Though the project was offered on a public private partnership mode, the promoters apart from making initial enquiries did not come forward.

The Rapid Transport System Development Corporation (RTDC), which is pursuing the project, had extended the last date for the tender allotment several times to facilitate the promoters but it failed to fetch positive result.

RTDC Director Ajay Sharma says, “Other states extend lucrative incentives for ropeway projects like 60 per cent capital equity. The promoters, who have evinced interest in the ropeway project, are also demanding similar incentives. Being a hilly state, it is not possible for Himachal to accept similar terms and conditions.”

“As per the laid conditions, the project was supposed to be a joint venture where a technical partner having five years experience in operation and maintenance was supposed to operate it. Though a manufacturer did show interest and the five-year norm was relaxed to facilitate him given his expertise in manufacturing, it did not enthuse the promoters,” he adds.

Some conditions were tweaked for the promoters who hailed from Delhi and Haryana but they did not opt for the project.

Sharma hopes that once other ropeways are set up in the state, the promoters will evince interest in this venture given the significance of Kasauli from tourism point of view. “It is over two times bigger than the recently allotted Chintpurni ropeway in monetary terms and hence more concerns were raised by the promoters before opting for it,” adds Sharma.

Though several ropeway projects are being set up in the state, safety aspect has been a cause for concern.

The state’s first cable car at Timber Trail Heights near Parwanoo was launched in April 1988 at a height of about 5,200 feet above the sea level.

Eleven people were stranded for hours after a cable car was stuck mid-air at Timber Trail Resorts in June last year. However, all of them were rescued after a six-hour operation.

A shaft holding the cable car had broken but it was attributed to wear and tear, as per the forensic science lab report. Both ropes holding the cable car were found intact. A magisterial inquiry report, submitted to the state government on July 2, too, had ruled out laxity on the part of the management.

It was the second such incident in the past 30 years. Earlier in October 1992, 10 tourists were stuck for hours after the haulage cable of a car broke and it started sliding backwards just before it was about to dock. The operator was killed after he jumped out of the cable car at an elevation of nearly 2,500 feet and his head hit a rock.

The cable car had stopped midway and kept hanging above Kaushalya river. The Indian Air Force and Army carried out a joint operation to rescue the stranded tourists. The services of helicopter base at Sarsawa in UP and the para commando unit at Nahan were also taken to rescue the tourists.