Centre, Uttarakhand sign ₹6,800 crore MoU for Kedarnath and Hemkunt Sahib ropeways

The Centre will share the major burden of the two proposed ropeway projects for Kedarnath Shrine and Hemkunt Sahib Gurudwar in Uttarakhand worth ₹6800 crores, an official document inked today confirmed.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to that effect was inked between the Uttarakhand government and the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) owned by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Dehradun.

Under the agreement that was signed in the presence of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and union minister Ajay Tamta, NHLML will have a 51 per cent equity stake while the state will share 49 per cent of its cost.

However, once commissioned, the balance of revenue sharing of the two ropeway projects will remain fully tilted towards Uttarakhand. Almost 90 percent of the revene generated from these ropeways will be used for tourism, transport and mobility in the state, says the MoU.

Notably, the two much-talked-about long-standing high hill ropeway projects in Uttarakhand finally saw some concrete development with the signing of the pact in Dehradun after several years of talks. The MoU was signed under the Parvatmala Scheme of the union Government to develop ropeway connectivity in the country.

"The MoU will pave the way for new opportunities in tourism, employment, environmental conservation and infrastructure, giving a new global identity to the religious and cultural heritage of the state.

Approvals for two long ropeway projects, including the 12.9 kilometre Sonprayag to Kedarnath costing around ₹4,100 crore and 12.4 kilometers Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib worth more than ₹2,700 crore were granted through MoUs," an official said.

The Chief Minister said the projects will not only expand the ropeway network in the state but also play a significant role in strengthening the state's economy.

"Rail, road, and ropeway connectivity are rapidly expanding in the state under the leadership of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. Char Dham All-Weather Road, Delhi-Dehradun Elevated Road, Sitarganj to Tanakpur, Paonta Sahib to Dehradun, Banbasa to Kanchanpur and various other road connectivity projects in border areas have made good progress whilr rail connectivity is also being rapidly expanded in the state," said Dhami.

Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Ajay Tamta said the MoU was a significant move for the development of ropeways in the state. He said, "construction of these ropeways will make it much easier for devotees to visit Kedarnath and Hemkunt Sahib".