Girnar Parvat Ropeway Project Junagadh Tourism Gujarat India

The proposed ropeway will have 18 cabins, each with a capacity of 8 people.

The treasury and opposition benches appeared to be united in the state Assembly on Friday over the issue of construction of a ropeway over the Girnar hills.

The place is home to dozens of Hindu and Jain temples where lakhs of people from the Gujarat State and outside visit every year.

During the discussions on the issue after a question raised by BJP MLA Kanubhai Bhalana, Gujarat State Congress President and Dabhoi MLA Siddharth Patel said it is a project of vital importance for the development of Junagadh City District.

He said the project has found support from local trade and commerce organizations as well as social and cultural bodies. Patel said his party would support the government on the issue of development.

Leader of the Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said he had personally taken up the matter with the Union Forests and Environment Minister, urging him to give clearance to the project soon.

Thanking the Congress members for their support, Gujarat State Tourism Minister Jay Narayan Vyas said the project was started in July 1994. Usha Breco Limited was given the assignment to implement it at the cost of Rs 89.31 crore. The company, he said, had to construct it at its own cost and give annual royalty to the government. The royalty amount was to increase every five years.

However, the project, he said, could not take off because the Centre did not give permission owing to environmental issues.

He expressed the hope that the project would see the light of day with all political parties backing it. He said the ropeway would have 18 cabins, each with a capacity of eight people. As many as 2,000 people would be able to travel by it in one hour, he added.

Girnar Mountain Ropeway Project Junagadh City News Gujarat India

Finally after a delay of almost two decades, the Girnar Mountain may get its ropeway. Gujarat State Tourism minister Jaynarayan Vyas informed the state assembly about the status of Girnar Parvat Ropeway project.

Responding to a question of Visavadar MLA Kanu Bhalala in question hour, Vyas said that through a notification dated May 31, 2008, the government has reserved land for the ropeway project in Gir forest land.

The state government has also submitted the proposal to the central government's National Wildlife Board and the Board too has decided to take up the issue after site visit. "We had several meetings with the central forest & environment minister for the project also. We are hopeful of getting clearance soon and the project is likely to start by 2011.''

The ropeway project will be undertaken by Usha brecko Company at the cost of Rs89.31 crore. GPCC president Siddharth Patel said: "I and leader of opposition have also met the central forest and environment minister and requested them to clear the project at the earliest.''

Girnar Mountain Parvat Hill Ropeway Project News Gujarat India

Ramesh to visit Mount Girnar to take stock of ropeway project.

With the environmental panel’s nod, the ropeway project at Mount Girnar in Junagadh now awaits the green signal from the Wildlife Panel, appointed by the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment — following objections by the National Board of Wildlife.

Union Minister for Forest and Environment Jairam Ramesh is likely to visit Junagadh to take stock of the situation before the Wildlife Panel takes its decision. The minister’s visit will focus on the project’s impact on the vulture population in the region, given its importance as a roosting and nesting centre.

He is scheduled to conduct a survey of the site. S K Nanda, state Principal Secretary, Forest and Environment, said: “The minister is likely to visit on December 5. He will check if the project threatens the birds.”

Over 7 hectares of forest area has been diverted for the project at an investment of Rs 89.31 crore, which has raised many eyebrows. Ropeway service cabins by Usha Breco Limited, each with a capacity of eight passengers, will pass over 1,700 meters of forest land. The ropeway, with a capacity of 1,000 passengers per hour, will start from the Girnar foothills and terminate near the Ambaji Temple at the top of mountain. Though the company and the Forest Department have carried out compensatory afforestation on 7 hectares in Toraniya plot, environmental groups have expressed apprehension over the damage to ecology.

According to the Gir Nature Club, vulture is a Schedule-I bird and the project will cause disturbance. Planned in 1968, the project has been delayed for various reasons.

After a foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2007, the National Board for Wildlife had deferred its decision to approve the state government project in spite of the strong representation by the state in its favor. Home to the Asiatic lions, Girnar forest is spread across 1,800 square kilometer.

It includes Mount Girnar, which is an important pilgrimage place, especially for the Jain community. Earlier, a section of Jains was against the project as the ropeway service would commercialize an important religious site.