Assam: Several ropeway projects in state in the pipeline

Centre forms expert panel for the ropeway sector

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Considering the rapidly expanding the ropeway sector as a means of transportation and mobility, the Government of India has constituted an Empowered Committee for Ropeways Technical Evaluation Certification and Safety (EC-Rope-TECS) for the development of the sector.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) recently issued a memorandum regarding the constitution of the empowered committee.

Significantly, several proposals for setting up ropeways under Parvatmala Pariyojana are in the pipeline. Already, the National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) has invited bids for the development, operation and maintenance of a ropeway between Kamakhya Railway Station and a point near Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, with a length of 1.43 km.

According to the MoRTH’s memorandum, “Considering the rapidly expanding ropeway sector as a means of transportation and mobility and the need to coordinate the growth of Ropeways Systems, including their components such as ropes, grips, gondolas, drive systems, instrumentation systems, sensors and automation of such systems, there is a need to establish an institutional structure for the setting and coordination of technical standards, certifications, processes, audit and coordination amongst State and Union Territory governments with a primary focus on public safety.”

Recognising the need for such a panel, the MoRTH established the Empowered Committee with the acronym EC-Rope-TECS, which will be the empowered committee to establish and recognise technical codes and standards suited to national requirements, certification systems for ropeways and their components, commissioning requirements, safety standards, periodic inspections and audits, besides technical investigations in case of an incident affecting public safety in the construction, operations or maintenance of Ropeway Systems.

The chairman of the committee is the director general (Road Development & Special Secretary of MoRTH), along with a number of members, including technical experts.

The proposed ropeway projects in the pipeline in Assam are (i) Ganganagar Part-VII to Bhuban Pahar Mahadev Temple, Cachar, with a proposed length of 2.78 km; (ii) Jatinga Bird Watching Tower – Hempeupet Peak in Dima Hasao district, of 3.50 km length; (iii) Agnigarh Pahar to Bhairabi Mandir in Sonitpur district, of 1.80 km length; and (iv) Khanapara to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, Guwahati, in Kamrup (M) district, with a proposed length of 24 km.

The process for establishing a ropeway between Kamakhya Railway Station and near Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati has already been initiated, with bids already invited for the project.

 Also Read: Indian Govt Propose Five Ropeway Projects in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh

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