The government has approved two major ropeway projects in Uttarakhand—Sonprayag to Kedarnath and Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji—at a cost of ₹6,811 crore. These projects aim to significantly cut travel time to these pilgrimage sites and enhance tourism.
Announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after a Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the projects will be developed under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana and are expected to be completed in 4-6 years.
The Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway, based on advanced Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology, will operate in a public-private partnership (PPP) model. With a capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction (PPHPD), it can accommodate up to 18,000 passengers daily. Currently, the 16-km trek to Kedarnath from Gaurikund is covered on foot, ponies, palanquins, or by helicopter. The new ropeway will provide faster, all-weather access, reducing the travel time from approximately 8-9 hours to just 36 minutes.
Similarly, the Govindghat-Hemkund Sahib Ji ropeway will be built under the DBFOT (Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer) model at a cost of ₹2,730.13 crore. At present, reaching Hemkund Sahib Ji requires a strenuous 21-km uphill trek, covered on foot, ponies, or palanquins. The proposed ropeway will significantly ease travel, benefiting both pilgrims and tourists visiting the Valley of Flowers. It will feature a Monocable Detachable Gondola (MDG) system for the 10.55-km Govindghat-Ghangaria section and a Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) system for the 1.85-km stretch from Ghangaria to Hemkund Sahib Ji. The system will have a capacity of 1,100 PPHPD, capable of transporting 11,000 passengers daily.
Last year, 23 lakh devotees visited Kedarnath, a figure expected to rise to 36 lakh with the ropeway’s completion. Hemkund Sahib Ji saw 1.77 lakh visitors, with numbers projected to grow tenfold.
Kedarnath, one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas, stands at an altitude of 3,583 meters in Uttarakhand’s Rudraprayag district. Open to devotees from April-May (Akshaya Tritiya) to October-November (Diwali), it attracts around 20 lakh pilgrims annually.
Hemkund Sahib Ji, situated at an altitude of 15,000 feet in Chamoli district, is a revered Sikh pilgrimage site. The gurudwara remains open from May to September, drawing around 1.5-2 lakh devotees each year. It is believed to be the meditation site of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th Sikh Guru, and also holds significance in Hindu mythology as the meditative spot of Lord Rama’s brother, Lakshmana.
Additionally, the Hemkund Sahib Ji trek serves as an entry point to the Valley of Flowers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the scenic Garhwal Himalayas.
