Context: 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the construction of ropeway project from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji in Uttarakhand (a 12.4 km) and Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km).

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• The development of both ropeway projects is under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana.
• Both projects will be developed on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode.

About the approved ropeways:

The journey to the Hemkund Sahib Ji is difficult as people do trekking of 21 km uphill from Govindghat on foot.

• The ropeway will be based on a Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) from Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km) and then with advanced Tricable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji (1.85 km).
• This project will significantly reduce the travel time of 3 days return to only 3 hours.

The journey to the Kedarnath temple is a challenging 16-km uphill trek from Gaurikund and is currently covered on foot or by ponies, palanquins and helicopters.

• It will be based on the latest Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology.
• Kedarnath is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas, situated at an elevation of 3,583 m (11968 ft) in the Rudraprayag district of the State of Uttarakhand.

Hemkund Sahib Ji

• It is a highly revered pilgrimage site situated at an elevation of 15,000 ft in the Chamoli district of the State of Uttarakhand.
• This beautiful gurudwara is situated at an altitude of around 4,329 m on the bank of the pristine Hemkund Lake. 
• It is recorded in the holy Granth Sahib that the 10th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Govind Singh, meditated by the serene banks of Hemkund Lake.
• It also serves as the gateway to the famous Valley of Flowers, a national park recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site (in the Garhwal Himalayas).

National Ropeways Development Programme– “Parvatmala” 

• The National Ropeways Development Programme – “Parvatmala” – which will be taken up on PPP mode was announced under the Union Budget for 2022-23.
• The program functions under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. 
• The idea is to improve connectivity and convenience for commuters, besides promoting tourism.
• The Program is being implemented by National Highway Logistics Management Limited (NHLML), a special purpose vehicle of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
• Parvatmala Pariyojana aims to develop more than 250 projects with a Ropeway length of over 1200 km in the next 5 years after its inception.