Mussoorie: Construction work on the ongoing Dehradun-Mussoorie ropeway project is due to be resumed soon, senior officials said on Saturday.
Construction work was halted following serious rainfall-induced damage at the site on September 15.
Officials said the lower terminal station at Purkul was inundated with debris, while scaffolding and pillars for duct construction were washed away. The access road leading to settlements above the Purkul ropeway terminal was also damaged.
Deepak Khanduri, director (Infrastructure), Uttarakhand Tourism, said, “Despite the setback, the construction firm has begun clearing the debris and work is expected to resume soon. The access road built by PMGSY authorities on tourism department land is being returned as it delayed ropeway construction. The PWD, which has been assigned the task of building an alternate route, has not started work yet, causing further delays.”
The ropeway project has seen progress with two floors of the lower terminal at Purkul completed. Officials said once the rains subside, the workforce will be increased to ensure the project is completed by 2026, reducing the Dehradun-Mussoorie journey from the current 1–2 hours to just 15 minutes.
The 5.5-km-long “Aerial Passenger Ropeway System” between Dehradun (Purkul Gaon) and Library Chowk, Mussoorie, will be equipped with boarding and deboarding facilities, car and vehicle parking for a minimum of 1,500 units, along with a passenger holding area, waiting area, ticket counters, office block, staff accommodation, service areas and public conveniences, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}The 5.5-km-long “Aerial Passenger Ropeway System” between Dehradun (Purkul Gaon) and Library Chowk, Mussoorie, will be equipped with boarding and deboarding facilities, car and vehicle parking for a minimum of 1,500 units, along with a passenger holding area, waiting area, ticket counters, office block, staff accommodation, service areas and public conveniences, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}The upper terminal at Library Bazaar, Mussoorie, will also have passenger facilities including a waiting area, ticket counters, office block, staff quarters and service space, they added.
The ropeway will operate on a Monocable Detachable Grip Ropeway System with around 54 cabins, each carrying 10 people.
It will be able to transport over 7,000 tourists on peak days and around 4,000 on normal days. The state cabinet had approved certain height relaxations for the terminals of the ropeway in 2022.