Context: 

The Union Minister of Road and Transport  ‘Ropeway: Symposium-Cum-Exhibition’ in New Delhi announced over 200 Ropeway Projects Worth 1.25 Lakh Crore under the ‘Parvatmala Pariyojana’.

• Ropeway: ‘Symposium-cum-Exhibition’ provided key insights to identify areas for development to promote indigenous manufacturing by ‘Make in India’ and enhance the capacity & capability of ropeway technology.

What is Parvatmala Pariyojana?

• National Ropeway Development Programme- Parvatmala Pariyojana was announced in the union budget 2022-23 as an Efficient and Safe Alternate Transport Network.
• Mode: Public-private partnership. 
• Objective: To improve connectivity and convenience for commuters besides promoting tourism in the Himalayan region.
  

Major Factors Driving Ropeways Infrastructure

• Ideal for difficult/challenging/sensitive terrain: It will help to overcome the technological challenges in road & limited scope of rail and air transportation networks in the hilly areas.
  • Ropeways and cableways (cable cranes) can handle large slopes and large differences in elevation. Where a road or railroad needs switchbacks or tunnels, a ropeway travels straight up and down the fall line.
  • This mode of transportation will enable mobility for people living in difficult areas like Mountains, Rivers, and Gorges & help them become part of the Mainstream.
• Economical Mode of Transportation: Being an aerial mode, building ropeways involves lower land acquisition costs. 
  • Hence, despite having a higher construction cost per km than roadways, the construction cost of ropeway projects is more economical than roadways.
  • The fact that only narrow-based vertical supports are needed at intervals, leaving the rest of the ground free, makes it possible for ropeways to be constructed in built-up areas and places with intense competition for land use.
  • Ropeways have multiple cars propelled by a single power plant and drive mechanism. This reduces both construction and maintenance costs. Using a single operator for an entire ropeway is an added saving for labour costs.
• Faster Mode of Transportation: Ropeways have the advantage of getting built in a straight line over a hilly terrain, thus taking minimum time to cover distance.
• Environment-Friendly: Transportation via ropeways involves low dust emissions. Material containers can be designed to rule out any soiling of the environment.
• Last mile connectivity: Ropeway projects adopting 3S (a cable car system with three cables — two for support and one for propulsion) or equivalent technologies can transport 6000-8000 passengers per hour.

Challenges Associated with Ropeways Infrastructure?

• The EIA guidance manual for Aerial ropeways by MoEFCC listed various impacts due to ropeways, such as environmental impacts through activities including
  • Changes in topography and drainage pattern.
  • Exploitation of ground/surface water, 
  • Soil Erosion and Contamination.
  • Habitat fragmentation and Loss of forest cover.
  • Blocking of Migratory Corridors.
  • Emissions from vehicles and generators, 
  • impacts of vibration and waste generation.

News Source: PIB