Varanasi, the parliamentary district of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will soon become the third city in the world and the first in India to utilise ropeway services for public transit. The ropeway will move from Varanasi Cantt station to Godowlia. According to an official statement from the PMO, the 3.75-km long ropeway system with five stations would make it easier for visitors, pilgrims, and Varanasi residents to move around. With the beginning of this Rs 645 crore ropeway project, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Dashashwamedh Ghat will be conveniently accessible.
Covering an aerial distance of 3.75 km, the ropeway is expected to save time and money for the tourists who have to face traffic jams in one of the oldest cities in the world. India will be the third country in the world after Bolivia and Mexico City, and Varanasi will be the first Indian city to use a ropeway for public transport. According to reports, this pilot project is being developed in a state-of-the-art manner on the lines of Kyoto in Japan.
Here’s all you need to know about the Ropeway project
- The pilot project will be constructed by Vishwa Samudra, National Highways Logistics Private Limited (NHLML) and Switzerland-based firm Bartholet
- The ropeway will cover a distance of nearly 4 km in just 16 minutes. Moreover, the ropeway will be operational for 16 hours a day
- A trolley, that can carry 10 passengers, will run at an interval of every two minutes. According to the government, as many as 3,000 people will be able to travel in one direction in an hour through the ropeway
- About 150 trolley cars will run at a height of about 50 metres
- After the foundation stone-laying, the ropeway project will be completed in 18 months
Varanasi Cantt-Godowlia ropeway: List of stoppage points
Directly connected to Varanasi Cantt railway station, the ropeway will have five stations on its route, viz. Vidya Peeth, Bharatmala Mandir, Rath Yatra, Girja Ghar and Godowlia Chowk.
Apart from the ropeway, PM Modi laid the foundation stone for 55 MLD sewage treatment plant under the Namami Gange Scheme. The plant will come up at Bhagwanpur at a cost of Rs 300 crore. The PM also laid the foundation stone for Sigra Stadium and LPG bottling plant.