A video of a swinging gondola from the upcoming Varanasi ropeway project has sparked concern on social media, with several posts claiming the cabin was moving dangerously and indicating a possible technical failure. The government has firmly rejected these claims, highlighting that the movement seen in viral footage is part of a controlled safety test and remains within approved engineering limits.
Officials clarified through PIB Fact Check that they deliberately caused the gondola’s movement during testing. The agency termed the viral posts “misleading. It further explained that the swing visible in the video “is within the permissible limits specified under the CEN standards and is duly accounted for in the system design.”
Swing is within design tolerance, says PIB
As per the fact check, the trial involved imposing emergency brakes to evaluate the maximum longitudinal sway of the cabin. The swing or sway is managed by a spring-loaded suspension arrangement designed to absorb such movements and keep them within limits as specified by international codes, including CEN and BIS standards.
The post underlined that a certain degree of flexibility in the suspension of the system is intentional and necessary.
What are the reasons behind applying this flexibility in suspension?
It allows the ropeway to deal with dynamic forces such as wind loads, acceleration, deceleration, and to apply operational stoppages without compromising safety. The swing visible in the video they highlighted does not represent any structural, operational, or mechanical glitch, but rather it is part of a comprehensive safety check.
Varanasi Divisional Commissioner S. Rajalingam has issued a clarification, stating that visuals are being shared online without context. He pointed out that Phase I of the ropeway from the Cantonment to Rath Yatra has already been finished and systematic testing for it is under process.
“A misleading tweet linked to the ropeway has been going viral since morning. I would like to make it clear that the phase 1 ropeway-from Cantonment to Rath Yatra has been completed. Testing has been going on for day,” he stated, as quoted by ANI.
A video of a swinging Varanasi Ropeway gondola is being shared on social media with claims suggesting excessive and unsafe movement#PIBFactCheck
❌ This claim is #Misleading
✅ The swing observed in the video is part of the testing process to ensure safety norms compliance.… pic.twitter.com/GHHYzc3gXG
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) January 6, 2026
Rajalingam further explained that as part of the trial process, engineers also assess how the cabin will behave during strong winds when emergency brakes are put in. “As part of that, it is also tested at what angle it should sway in a strong breeze when emergency brakes are used. The sway was under permissible limits. Videos viral on social media are absolutely wrong. Do not trust them,” he added.
He further noted that the Varanasi ropeway has been designed in line with international standards and European safety codes. Rigorous security checks are planned before public operations.
What happens in a trial test?
The trial regime includes tests under emergency braking, sensor activation, high wind pressure, and several other possible scenarios to ensure the system’s robustness. The activity recorded in the viral video, they restated, is part of this planned testing and is intended to boost passenger safety, not undermine it. International consultants, including firms from Spain and Australia, will provide the safety certifications for the project. He also warned that action will be taken against those spreading misinformation, and the construction and inspection will also continue.