Dehradun: The Prime Minister’s dream project Kedarnath Ropeway was approved in the board meeting of the National Board of Wildlife. By the construction of a 13 km long ropeway from Sonprayag to Kedarnath and five and a half-kilometer walkway from Rambada to Garudchatti, the distance to the Dham will be completed in 30 minutes.
According to RK Sudhanshu, Principal Secretary (Forests), the permission of the Board is not required for the Hemkund Sahib ropeway and the Ministry of Forest and Environment has already accepted the proposal.
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Sudhanshu, in a meeting chaired by the Union Forest and Environment Minister in Delhi, said "permission has been given for the construction of a ropeway from Sonprayag to Kedarnath that will cost 1,200 crores rupees. No environmental clearance is required for ropeway construction from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib, which is estimated to cost around 850 crore rupees. National Highway Logistics Management Limited, an agency of NHAI, has prepared the DPRs of both the ropeways."
Kedarnath Dham, situated at an altitude of eleven and a half thousand feet above sea level, is about 18 to 20 kilometers walk from Sonprayag. Travelers take about eight hours to cover it. With the construction of the ropeway, this distance will be completed in 30 minutes. This area comes under Kedarnath Forest Division Gopeshwar.
