The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved two ropeway projects in Uttarakhand connecting Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji and Sonprayag to Kedarnath - to boost connectivity and tourism in the hilly state.

The foundation stone of these two ropeway projects was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 21 October 2022.

The meeting of the CCEA, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held in New Delhi on 5 March 2025.

The approval for the two ropeway projects under the Parvatmala project was given on the eve of the prime Minister’s visit to Uttarakhand on 6th March 2025.

PM Modi offers prayer at Mukhwa Temple in Uttarkashi

During his visit to Uttarakhand on 6th March 2025, the Prime Minister offered prayer at the Mukhwa temple at Uttarkashi. The Mukhwa temple is the winter abode of Goddess Ganga.

The temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga is at Gangotri, the origin place of Ganga. During winter, the temple doors are closed, and the Goddess shifts to Mukhwa temple

Dham Tapo Tourism

Prime Minister Modi also called for promoting winter tourism in Uttarakhand. In the winter, tourists avoid visiting Uttarakhand, and the state government is planning to promote year-round tourism in the state.

The Prime Minister called for winter tourism in the state and coined the term ‘ Dham Tapo Tourism. ’ He appealed to the tourist, corporate sector, filmmaker and yoga enthusiast to visit the state during the winter season.

Accessibility is a major issue for tourists during the winter time in Uttarakhand. To improve connectivity in the region, the Prime Minister referred to the two ropeway projects approved by the central government.

Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway project

The project will be built under a public-private partnership(PPP) model. It will be built under the

Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) mode of the PPP..

Project Cost- Rs 2,730.13 crore.

Distance -12.4 km long.

It will connect Govindghat to Ghangaria (10.55 km) and Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib ji (1.8 km).

Capacity - 1,100 passengers per hour per direction. 11,000 passengers per day.

Hemkund Sahib ji is a pilgrimage site for the Sikh communities and others. It is situated at 15,000 ft in the Chamoli district of the State of Uttarakhand.

This ropeway will also connect Ghangaria, which is the gateway to the Valley of Flowers National Park in Chamoli. The Valley of Flowers National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Sonprayag to Kedarnath Ropeway project

Distance of the ropeway -12.9 km

Project cost -Rs. 4,081.28 crore.

Mode of development - It will be a public-private partnership.

Capacity -1,800 passengers per hour per direction. 18,000 passengers per day.

Kedarnath is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas located in the Rudraprayag district of the State.

Parvatmala Project

It was announced by the Union Minister for Finance, Nirmala Sitharaman, in her 2022-23 budget speech.
It aims to connect difficult hilly areas and congested urban centers in the country where a mass transportation system is not viable.
Implementing Authority
The National Ropeway Development Programme is being implemented by the National Highway Logistics Management Limited.
The National Logistics Management Limited is a Special Purpose Vehicle set up by the National Highway Authority of India(NHAI).
The NHAI is under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.