STATE TIMES NEWS
AMRITSAR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Wednesday hailed the approval of the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib Ropeway Projects by the Union Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a historic step.
He said that these projects would greatly ease the pilgrimage journey, providing enhanced convenience for devotees, while also giving a new boost to tourism and the local economy in Uttarakhand.
Chugh said that the 12.9-kilometer-long Sonprayag-Kedarnath Ropeway Project, approved by the Union Cabinet, will be constructed at a cost of Rs 4,081.28 crore. This ropeway will have a capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction, allowing the transportation of 18,000 pilgrims daily.
He highlighted that at present, pilgrims have to undertake a challenging 16-kilometer trek to reach Kedarnath, which takes around 8-9 hours. With the construction of this ropeway, the journey will be reduced to just 36 minutes, providing immense relief, especially for the elderly and differently-abled individuals, he added.
Chugh emphasized that this project is not only environmentally friendly and convenient for pilgrims but will also generate new employment opportunities in Uttarakhand. The construction and operation of this ropeway will create significant job prospects in hospitality, travel, food and beverage (F&B), tourism, and related industries, he said.
He noted that Kedarnath Jyotirlinga is one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas of India, located in Rudraprayag district at an altitude of 3,583 meters (11,968 feet). The temple remains open for pilgrims from Akshaya Tritiya (April-May) to Diwali (October-November) and attracts over 2 million devotees annually.
Chugh also announced that the Rs 2,730 crore Hemkund Sahib Ropeway Project, approved by Prime Minister Modi, would significantly improve accessibility to this sacred Gurudwara, located at 15,000 feet in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand.
The 12.4-kilometer-long ropeway will connect Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib, reducing the strenuous mountain journey for devotees, he said and explained that Hemkund Sahib is the meditation site of the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and is also renowned as the meditation site of Lord Lakshman, brother of Lord Ram. The Gurudwara remains open from May to September each year, and in 2023, approximately 1.77 lakh devotees visited this holy site, he added.
This project will also benefit Ghangaria, a key stop on the Hemkund Sahib route, which serves as the gateway to the “Valley of Flowers”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With the ropeway, access to this valley will become more convenient, boosting both religious and ecological tourism.
Chugh remarked that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India’s key religious sites are being modernized with world-class infrastructure. These projects will not only enhance pilgrimage experiences but also elevate Uttarakhand’s tourism industry and local economy. He said that the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib Ropeway Projects will serve as pillars of balanced socio-economic development in Uttarakhand, ensuring connectivity to remote mountainous areas.
He said that the Modi government, following the policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Inclusive Growth for All), is committed to promoting spiritual and religious tourism on a global level. These historic projects will provide a major boost to spiritual and ecological tourism, creating vast employment opportunities for local communities, he added.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government, Chugh said that these projects would place these sacred sites on the global spiritual tourism map, offering pilgrims an unparalleled travel experience.