Cabinet approves Sonprayag–Kedarnath and Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib ropeways under Parvatmala
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 5 March 2025 approved the 12.9-km Sonprayag–Kedarnath and the 12.4-km Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeways in Uttarakhand under the Parvatmala Pariyojana.
Summary
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Narendra Modi, on 5 March 2025 approved two ropeways in Uttarakhand under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana, both on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode in public-private partnership. The 12.9-km Sonprayag–Kedarnath ropeway will cost ₹4,081.28 crore and use Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology, with a capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction (18,000 a day); it will cut the one-way journey from 8–9 hours to about 36 minutes. The 12.4-km Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway will cost ₹2,730.13 crore, combining a Monocable Detachable Gondola up to Ghangaria (10.55 km) with 3S from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib (1.85 km), for 1,100 passengers per hour per direction. Hemkund Sahib, at about 15,000 ft in Chamoli district, is also the gateway to the Valley of Flowers.
Key facts
- Date
- 5 March 2025 (CCEA)
- Kedarnath
- Sonprayag–Kedarnath, 12.9 km, ₹4,081.28 crore, 3S, 8–9 hours to about 36 minutes
- Hemkund Sahib
- Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib Ji, 12.4 km, ₹2,730.13 crore, MDG + 3S
- Mode
- DBFOT, public-private partnership
- Programme
- Parvatmala, announced in Budget 2022-23; implemented by NHLML (NHAI's SPV)
Practice MCQs 5 questions
The Sonprayag–Kedarnath ropeway approved by the Cabinet on 5 March 2025 is how long?
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Correct answer: C — 12.9 km
The Sonprayag–Kedarnath ropeway is 12.9 km long; the Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway is 12.4 km.
On which mode will the Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib ropeways approved in March 2025 be developed?
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Correct answer: B — Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT)
Both ropeways will be built on DBFOT mode in public-private partnership.
What is the approved capital cost of the Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway?
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Correct answer: A — ₹2,730.13 crore
The Hemkund Sahib ropeway costs ₹2,730.13 crore; the Kedarnath ropeway costs ₹4,081.28 crore.
The trek to Hemkund Sahib Ji, which the new ropeway will serve, is also the gateway to which UNESCO World Heritage site?
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Correct answer: B — Valley of Flowers National Park
The Hemkund Sahib trek from Govindghat via Ghangaria is the gateway to the Valley of Flowers in Chamoli district.
Consider the following statements about the Parvatmala Pariyojana (National Ropeways Development Programme): 1. It was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 for implementation on PPP mode. 2. It is implemented by National Highways Logistics Management Limited, a wholly owned SPV of NHAI. 3. It is administered by the Ministry of Tourism. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 and 2 only
Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong: Parvatmala comes under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which mandated NHLML to implement ropeways.