Decks cleared for new aerial ropeway in Rajgir

PATNA: Decks are cleared for the construction of new aerial ropeway in Rajgir in Bihar's Nalanda district, barely 100 km away from the state capital. The existing old one would get heritage status on the pattern of Darjeeling's toy train.
Bihar's principal secretary cabinet secretariat department Brajesh Mehrotra on Friday said that the state cabinet has sanctioned a revised esimate of Rs 20.18 crore for the construction of new aerial ropeway at Rajgir.Gurgaon based RITES Limited has been entrusted to construct the ropeway at Rajgir.
A new hi-tech aerial ropeway will soon come up at Rajgir to replace the existing 46-year-old ropeway. The much awaited project would soon be a reality.
The work on the ropeway will start soon. Ropeway is Gandola type (a type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above) and very similar to Gulmarg ropeway.
The old chair-lift aerial ropeway was donated by famous Japanese monk Fuji Guruji. Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan was the first to take a ride on the ropeway. Currently aerial ropeway is maintained by the Bihar state tourism development corporation (BSTDC) , a state government undertaking. This is the highest revenue generating venture of the BSTDC.
Rajgir is old religious, historical and tourist place and all the infrastructures like electricity, water supply and sanitation, hotel, restaurant, connectivity by rail and road, post office, forest office etc are existing.
The tourist are visiting this place almost throughout the year. Hence no additional impact due to influx of people and associated development is anticipated due to construction of new ropeway, said an official.