Work on Mubarak Mandi ropeway to begin soon: J-K govt

Jammu and Kashmir government today said that the prestigious Mubarak Mandi ropeway project has been awarded to the Damodar Ropeway and Infrastructure Ltd, Kolkata, with the work to be taken up in collaboration with ST Teleferik of Turkey.
"Work for the construction of Mubarak Mandi Ropeway in Jammu has been awarded to Damodar Ropeway and Infrastructure Ltd Kolkata in collaboration with ST Teleferik, Turkey," Minister for Urban Development and Urban Local Bodies, Nawang Rigzin Jora, said in the state Assembly today. He was speaking on behalf of the state minister for tourism.
Replying to a question by BJP member Ashok Khajuria, the minister said that formalities for securing environmental, wildlife and forest clearances have been completed for the project.

The foundation stone for the project is expected to be laid soon, he added.
The work was tendered through RITES, which has been engaged as the consultant for the project.
Funds to the tune of Rs 2.63 crore have been transferred to the revenue and PDD departments for paying compensation for private land and laying of underground transmission lines, etc.

Meanwhile, responding to supplementaries, Tourism Minister GA Mir said that a provision of Rs 40 crore has been already made for the construction of the ropeway. He assured that the project would be completed well in time.
Mir added that ropeway projects for Aishmuqam and Patnitop have already been tendered out under the PPP mode.

The state government is also mulling whether to develop ropeways at other spots in the state, he said, adding that a survey for a possible Kongwatan to Kounsarnag ropeway has already been initiated.
Krishen Chander, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Harshdev Singh, Ashwani Sharma and MY Tarigami raised supplementaries and demanded development and improvement of tourism infrastructure, along with the building of ropeways, in their respective constituencies.