Ropeways vying to be alternative means of transport, want a slice of road cess

India may soon have a brand new set of ropeways across select inaccessible regions of the North-East, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra. The plan comes about as the government realises that these aerial cable-cars can do much more than serve tourists and adventure-seekers and ropeways can actually become the crucial last mile connectors in tough terrain.

And to build some of these, the ropeways sector may stake a claim to a share of the road-cess, (rechristened infrastructure fund early this year) citing the ground that after all they are serving as roads, where roads can’t be built, albeit on air.

“We are at different stages of preparing feasibility and viability and project reports for building ropeways in specific areas in these States,’ said an official of the Indian Port Rail Corporation Ltd (IPRCL), a Shipping Ministry arm that regulates the construction of ropeways and is in charge of making them safer. This is in addition to IPRCL’s original responsibility to speed up port-rail connectivity projects.

Ropeways have largely been used for tourism and recreational purposes. But, this is changing as they are now being seen as possible option for urban transport, particularly for last mile connectivity in hilly areas and to improve access to other services. This has spurred a renewed interest in ropeways.

Common contract

“IPRCL is actively involved with NITI Aayog to make a common contract agreement,” said the official. The contract to be signed between a private operator and the government will enable ropeway projects being implemented to claim subsidy. Subsidies will be needed now because for ropeways to become useful as urban transport, the fares will have to be affordable.

The Centre has already included ropeways among the infrastructure which may be funded through the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, the erstwhile Central Road Fund. Ropeways are environment-friendly and when they connect the last mile to far-flung areas, they may become strong claimant for CRIF as well, said an industry executive. Access to the road fund has already been approved for waterways.

Ropeway locations which IPRCL is evaluating include Elephanta Caves, Mumbai, Maharashtra; Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu; Langolceiraoching-Marjing ching, and Sendra to Thanga, Chaoba Ching, Loktak in Manipur; Bermpark-Bhawani island in Andhra Pradesh; Vasco da Gama to Dona Paula in Goa; and Kochi.

While IPRCL is looking for a tie-up with a company adhering to European standards of safety, it is also involved with the Bureau of Indian Standards to update the safety standards for ropeways to global standards. IPRCL is also importing European technology with a ‘Make in India’ theme. European firms like Dopplemayr and Poma, which had bagged Winter Olympics and other projects in China, are vying for a tie-up with IPRCL.

IPRCL has set up a specialised team, with an ability to manage projects and be the independent engineers. It is also in the process of hiring a legal consultant to draft a Central legislation on ropeways. This is being done to ensure uniformity of the legal framework available across States and to ensure adherence to a higher standard of safety. At present, States have different legislations that guide the ropeways.

The Indian ropeway makers have welcomed the ropeway draft contract. They, however, rue that the provision of subsidy is linked to adoption of European or CEN technology standards. They have also raised concerns like the high cost of third party inspections, where the inspectors have to be flown in from other countries.

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