New Delhi: Mobility and tourism go hand in hand, and transformation plans are currently underway across India that have the potential to significantly boost both these sectors.
Mobility and tourism are closely linked and transformational plans are currently underway across India that have the potential to significantly boost both these sectors.
In January, Roads and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the government’s plan to develop over 200 ropeway projects worth Rs 1.25 trillion over the next five years. This initiative aims to revolutionize travel and tourism, especially in mountain regions.
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In January, Roads and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the government’s plan to develop over 200 ropeway projects worth Rs 1.25 trillion over the next five years. This initiative aims to revolutionize travel and tourism, especially in mountain regions.
Mr. Gadkari highlighted the strategic importance of the ropeway in enhancing the economic attractiveness of both tourist and urban destinations, as well as promoting regional mobility solutions.
The Minister also highlighted the benefits of reducing project costs and promoting public-private partnerships (PPPs) as catalysts to increase the proliferation of such projects.
companies, projects, plans
Among the early adopters of this initiative was Usha Breko. Founded in 1969 and a pioneer in the ropeway sector with the inauguration of the first passenger ropeway at Maa Mansa Devi in Haridwar, the company is currently evaluating four projects that could significantly expand its operational reach.
Usha Breko, whose projects are spread across Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Odisha and Assam, is pursuing a build-operate-transfer (BOT) model beyond nine ropeways managed under the ‘Udan Katra’ brand. We are actively working to utilize this technology to expand our base. Partnership with government.
Manoj Panwar, operations manager of Usha Breko, said the role of ropeways in major tourist destinations is increasing due to the increasing demand for domestic travel.
Panwar said technological advancements have simplified access to mountainous and remote areas using ropeways, making them important as a means of transportation for urban areas and tourists.
The company has invested over Rs 200 crore in recent years to develop ropeways in places such as Jatayupala in Kerala and Girnar in Gujarat. The recent MoU with the Uttarakhand government includes an investment of Rs 1,000 crore to start new projects, he added.
The company plans to spend around Rs 25 billion annually over the next three years on maintenance and repairs of existing facilities, funded through internal accruals.
The November 2023 report by CARE Edge Ratings highlights Usha Breko’s strategy to drive operating profit to over Rs 250 crore while maintaining strong profit margins, driven by the addition of new ropeway projects.
Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, proposals for five new ropeway projects by private entrepreneurs are expected to be approved soon. These projects, which include an 8 km long urban mobility ropeway starting from Sewri in Mumbai, will enhance transportation solutions in the region.
Empyrean’s Skyview, another major player in the hospitality and ropeway sector, is considering a project to completely renovate ski facilities in Uttarakhand’s Auli region. Originally built in the 1970s, the existing ropeway and ski facilities at Auli will be upgraded.
The state government has proposed building a new ropeway and major improvements to the existing ski infrastructure, company managing director Syed Junaid Altaf told Mint, adding that the company has a comprehensive redevelopment plan for Auli. He added that there is.
“We are actively evaluating three to four projects under government PPP… We are also evaluating more ropeways in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states,” he said. Ta.
Skyview’s parent company, FIL Industries, founded in 2014, works closely with the government on revenue-sharing models to enhance regional tourism by integrating hotel, entertainment and retail space with ropeway projects. Currently, FIL has invested over Rs 5,000 crore in building the Mussoorie and Yamunotri ropeway system through a consortium agreement.
Additionally, FIL plans to expand the Dehradun-Mussoorie ropeway project by adding more hotel rooms, with a budget of Rs 30-35 billion for the ropeway construction and another Rs 10 billion for the next phase of hotel development. It is planned that Rs. Operations are expected to begin in 2026, and the company also plans to develop a food and beverage complex on a four-acre site at the top of the valley.
Ropeway and infrastructure
Although India’s ropeway industry is small with only a few full-time companies such as Usha Breco and Damodar Ropeways & Infra Ltd (DRIL), it plays an important role in infrastructure development, with hybrid pension models being used in highway construction. We often partner with road construction companies under the. project.
In January, Gadkari had underlined the government’s commitment to support ropeway development with 60% construction funding under HAM, which is more expensive than support for national highways, to attract more private investment. .
Altaf said the ropeway would be a viable and economical alternative to traditional public transport systems, especially in sparsely populated cities where a large-scale metro system is not viable.
He added that the ropeway’s capacity is 3,000 to 4,500 people per hour in one direction, which can significantly improve urban mobility in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
The company’s existing ropeway in Patnitop, Jammu and Kashmir, is being developed as an integrated tourism destination rather than just a transportation solution. The company has allocated Rs 25 billion to increase the number of hotel rooms from the existing 15 rooms to 100 over the next three years.
“This ropeway, Jammu-Srinagar expressway… (to be completed) will attract 100,000 tourists per year within the next 18 months. A large part of the tourism infrastructure should benefit from it,” he added.
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