The cable car has become a comfortable and safe alternative mode of transport in mountainous areas that cannot be connected by roads or railways. On October 21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for two cable car projects at Mandir Estate in Uttarakhand, under the Central Government’s Parvatmala project.
One of them will connect Govindghat city with Hemkund Sahib, one of the most popular religious places for Sikhs, and the other will connect Gaurikund city with Kedarnath Temple, the temple of Mahadev. The projects are estimated to cost around Rs 2,430 crore and will reduce travel time by about 45 minutes.
During his two-day visit to Uttarakhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspected several temples and laid the foundation stone of various projects. The length of the cable car connecting Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib will be about 12 km. It will have stations at Gobind Ghat and Pind Pulana, connecting Govindghat with Hemkund Sahib and Hemkund Sahib.
The cable car’s length connecting Gaurikund and Kedarnath cities will be about 9.7 km. It will be able to provide a safer and faster transport option for the people of Uttarakhand and thousands of pilgrims to the shrine. Constructing these cable car projects will help reduce travel time and make travel easier. The cable car will also connect Ghangaria, the gateway to the Valley of Flowers.
According to Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahni, the construction of a cable car from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib is a boon for the Sikh community. He said that it would be completed in two years. He also spoke about how he will boost the tourism industry and create employment opportunities for the youth.
This is Prime Minister Modi’s sixth visit to Kedarnath and second visit to Badrinath as Prime Minister. PM Modi also visited the Samadhi Sthal of Adi Guru Shankaracharya and spent some time there.