Girnar ropeway

Girnar ropeway is an under construction ropeway on Mount Girnar in Junagadh district, Gujarat, India. It will be Asia's longest ropeway once completed. First proposed in 1983, the construction started only in 2017 after several delays due to pending government approvals and court cases. The construction and operation is managed by Usha Breco Limited.

Girnar ropeway
Overview
Girnar Udan Khatola
Status	Under construction
Character	Recreational
Location	Bhavnath Taleti, Junagadh
Country	India
Coordinates	21.52702°N 70.506085°E / 21.52702; 70.506085
Termini	Bhavnath Taleti Ambaji Temple
No. of stations	2
Services	Junagadh, Gujarat
Built by	Usha Breco Limited
Construction cost	₹110 crore (US$15 million)
Construction begin	2017
Website	ushabreco.com
Operation
Owner	Usha Breco Limited
Operator	Usha Breco Limited
No. of carriers	25 (proposed)
Carrier capacity	8 passengers
Technical features
Line length	2,126.40 metres (6,976.4 ft)
No. of support towers	8
Installed power	1000 kV
Vertical Interval	850 metres (2,800 ft)
Girnar ropeway

History

Mount Girnar is a major pilgrim site because of presence of the Amba temple, the Dattatreya shrine, and many Hindu temples as well as several Jain temples.[1]

The project was first proposed by the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited (TCGL) in 1983 which suggested the diversion of about 9.1 hectares (22 acres) of forest land. The Government of Gujarat finalised diversion of 7.29 hectares (18.0 acres) of forest land in 1994 and the compensatory forest land was granted near Toraniya village. The Government of India also permitted in 1995.[1]

The project was delayed when the palanquin-bearers who carried pilgrims up opposed the project and petitioned the Gujarat High Court regarding their livelihood. The petition was dismissed after the company constructing the ropeway, Usha Breco Limited, agreed for compensatory jobs. After objections from the environment activists, the construction was further stopped in 1999.[1]

The work resumed in 2002 after sorting the objections and the land was acquired in 2007. Then state Chief Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone. As the project was located within the Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, the wildlife clearance was granted by the National Board for Wildlife in 2011 while the environmental clearance was granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India in 2016.[1][2][3][4]

The proposed alignment of the ropeway was considered a risk to local endangered long-billed vultures. A Public Interest Litigation regarding it was filed in 2017 and was dismissed by the Gujarat High Court in 2020.[5][6]

The construction was restarted in 2017.[7] The project was projected to open in May 2020 but was further delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[8][9] The project is expected to open in November 2020.[10]

Project

The ropeway will be 2,126.40 metres (6,976.4 ft) long, Asia's longest.[11][12][13] It is being constructed at the cost of ₹110 crore (US$15 million). The cost includes the construction of the lower and upper stations as well as nine poles supporting the rope. It will take passengers 850 metres (2,800 ft) above the hill to the Amba temple. It will have 25 trolleys with capacity of eight passengers each.[11][14][12][15]

Total 104 shops for palanquin-bearers who were affected by the project are being constructed in the parking lot of the terminal.[10]

References

1. "Rajkot: 33-year-long wait over, Girnar ropeway project gets green nod". The Indian Express. 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
2. "Six conditions imposed for Girnar ropeway project's approval". DeshGujarat. 2011-02-07. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
3. "Travel News - Usha Breco's Girnar Ropeway project gets approval | TravelBiz Monitor". www.travelbizmonitor.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
4. Dave, Vimukt (2011-05-05). "Girnar ropeway design will be made in Austria". Business Standard India. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
5. "PIL against permission for Girnar ropeway". The Times of India. 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
6. "Gujarat HC junks PIL seeking scrapping of ropeway project". Outlook. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
7. "ક્યારે શરૂ થશે ગિરનાર રોપ-વે? પ્રોજેક્ટની રસ પડે એવી તમામ વિગતો એક ક્લિક પર". Zee News Gujarati. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
8. "ગીરનાર રોપ-વે પ્રોજેક્ટનું મે ના અંતમાં વડાપ્રધાન નરેન્દ્ર મોદી લોકાર્પણ કરશે". NavGujarat Samay (in Gujarati). 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
9. "ગિરનાર રોપ-વેની કામગીરી સજ્જડ બંધ". Gujarat Mirror. 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2020-05-19.
10. "Junagadh: Palanquin-bearers at Mount Girnar to get 104 shops". The Indian Express. 2020-08-02. Retrieved 2020-08-12.
11. "ગિરનાર રોપ વે : રોમાંચક પ્રોજેક્ટના નવા રૂપરંગ". sandesh.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
12. "એશિયાના સૌથી મોટા રોપવે પ્રોજેક્ટની કામગીરી પૂરજોશમાં શરૂ, હેલીકૉપટરથી કામ શરૂ". Zee News Gujarati. 2019-02-02. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
13. "ક્યારે શરૂ થશે ગિરનાર રોપ-વે? પ્રોજેક્ટની રસ પડે એવી તમામ વિગતો એક ક્લિક પર". Zee News Gujarati. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
14. "ગિરનાર પર ચડવું થશે સરળ, દેશના સૌથી લાંબા ગિરનારના રોપ-વે પ્રોજેક્ટનું કામ પૂરજોશમાં | Vtv Reality Check junagadh ropeway operations". www.vtvgujarati.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
15. "ગિરનાર રોપવે પ્રોજેક્ટની કામગીરી પુરજોશમાં શરૂ | DD News". ddnewsgujarati.com. Retrieved 2020-05-13.