Submit your Article

“Ropeways can be a vital means of goods-transport in a country like Nepal with its rugged terrains and ever-present risks of roads being blocked by water-induced disasters,” says Victoria Hilda Rigby Delmon, Manager, INR Asia Upstream and Advisory-IFC. “Compared to air and road transport, ropeway transport is cheaper too.”

The importance of ropeways for Nepal had become evident even a century ago: construction on the country’s first ropeway, the 22-km link between Makawanpur and Kathmandu, had started in 1922 under the orders of Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher. In the latter half of the 20th century, the country had many more ropeway lines. In 1986, Hetauda Cement Factory started one to ferry limestones.

In 1995, the Conservation Ropeway was built at Bhattedanda on the outskirts of Kathmandu valley to transport milk. There were a few other lines as well. But they soon fell into disuse as the national focus shifted to roadbuilding, despite clear evidence of the cost-effectiveness of the ropeways. Now the discourse on the revival of ropeways in Nepal has again started. Seven ropeways for human transport and almost a dozen gravity goods ropeways are in operation in Nepal.

Reports suggest that the country could have ropeways in nearly 2,000 areas and feasibility studies have been conducted in 62 places. But to install a ropeway for people transport in Nepal, an investor has to get approval from 21 different government authorities. “We’ll not attract investors unless our bureaucratic hurdles are simplified,” says Guna Raj Dhakal, chairperson of Ropeway Nepal Pvt Ltd. Installing ropeways is six times cheaper than building roads and the maintenance cost is also low.

The 42-km Hetauda-Kathmandu Ropeway, for instance, cost half as much as the Tribhuvan Highway on the same route to build. “Yet the government is still skeptical about ropeways,” adds Dhakal. “We don’t even have a dedicated ropeway department or policies for that matter.” IME Group, which built Chandragiri Cable Car under Chandragiri Hills Pvt Ltd, is currently working on additional cable car services. These include Butwal Bazar-Basantapur (3 km), Chisapani Highway-Rajkada (Kailali), Sikles-Kori (Kaski) and Ghantikhola-Swargadwari Temple in Pyuthan district.

Works are also afoot to start a cable car service in Pathivara Temple in Taplejung. Besides, private companies are conducting ropeway transport feasibility studies in Dakshinkali-Chaukhatdevi, Budhanilkantha-Shivapuri Hill and Bohoratar-Nagarjun Hill in Kathmandu; Godawari-Phulchowki Hill in Lalitpur; Ghorahi-Swargadwari Temple in Pyuthan; Ghyangphedi-Gosainkunda in Rasuwa; Lukla-Namche Bazar in Solukhumbu; Devghat-Moulakalika Temple in Chitwan; and Ranital-Maulakalika in Nawalparasi.

Nepal Investment Board is also facilitating the study for an 84-km cable car service from Birethanti-Kagbeni-Ranipauwa to Muktinath Temple in Mustang. If implemented, the project is expected to significantly boost tourism and improve the livelihood of local people. “Ropeways have the potential to alter the economy of Nepal as it can boost tourism, improving income-generation and employment opportunities,” says Delmon. “As Nepal has huge potential in hydropower, ropeways are highly feasible here.” “During the monsoon season, the rural road network which is around 4,500 km across the country gets impacted by the heavy rain, flood and landslides resulting in connectivity loss to the district headquarters for around one-fifth of the total population,” she adds.

Year 2022 marked the centenary of the start of the ropeway in Nepal. Renewable Energy Confederation of Nepal (RECON), Nepal Ropeway Association, and other relevant institutions had celebrated the 100 years by holding seminars on the importance, relevancy, and revival of ropeway technology in Nepal. They hoped these events would push the government authorities to rethink the revival of ropeway transport in Nepal, but to no avail.

The book ‘Ropeways in Nepal’ by Dipak Gyawali, Ajaya Dixit, and Madhukar Upadhya recounts many past success stories of Nepali ropeway projects, but the idea of developing ropeways to ease the problem of transporting goods and humans has simply not registered on the minds of the government officials and ministers. “The fact is the government officials and ministers do not get much commission from ropeway development unlike road projects,” says Gyawali, who is also a former water resource minister.

After the success of pioneering ropeway projects, the government incorporated plans and policies for improving and extending the existing ropeway services in the fifth Five-Year Plan. With grant assistance from the US government, the old 22-km long, low-capacity mono-cable system between Dhorsing and Kathmandu was replaced and extended with a 42-km-long bi-cable ropeway between Hetauda and Kathmandu.

The sixth Five-Year Plan proposed developing gravity ropeways in the hills and mountains to transport daily goods and Rs 6m was allocated to execute the plan, but nothing came of it. After the restoration of multi-party democracy in the 90s, the eighth Five-Year Plan incorporated ropeways under the sub-sector of ‘other modes of transport’ and announced a program for consolidating the existing ropeways and operating them at full capacity.

There was also the plan of encouraging the private sector for the development of short-haul ropeways to promote tourism as well as developing gravity ropeways. For these purposes, the government of the time allocated Rs 158m. The next national plan announced a more ambitious 20-year National Transport Master Plan that included a cable car/ropeway development program and privatization of ropeway transports so that they could be operated more effectively.

The approach paper of the 10th Five-Year Plan (2002-2007) again stated that policies for developing ropeway transportation would be adopted. It also set the aim of encouraging private entrepreneurs to construct and operate cable car/ropeways in places with importance for tourists and local economies where road access is lacking. Priority for cable car/ropeway development would be accorded to those areas where the cost of constructing and operating roads would be comparatively high.

Experts say though policies and modest-scale programs were incorporated in Nepal’s Five-Year Plans, the progress over the years have been slow. In fact, they add, the ropeway development plan has more or less remained stagnant since 2007. Its potential to become an important segment of the country’s transport system was not realized. Operation and maintenance head of Manakamana Cable Car, Nepal’s first human transport ropeway, Sunil Karmacharya says that Nepali market, these days, is more attracted to human transport ropeways than material transport. The Manakamana Cable Car has been in operation for 25 years now.

“Back then, there used to be around 500,000 passengers per year which now has around 1.1m passengers. However, I see lesser chances in mass carrying ropeways in Nepal,” he says these cable cars, if operated properly can be enough for mobility and transport.  

A security guard was found dead at the under construction building of the Pashupati Area Development Trust on Tuesday. A staffer of the PADT found Dhan Bahadur Rana hanging while cleaning the premises of the office. Police reached the incident site after the staffer informed the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala. The PADT said that Rana was recently transferred to the security department from the garden section. DSP Sanjeeb Babu Khadka said that the body has been sent to the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) for post-mortem. Police said that they are looking into the case.  

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Annapurna Media Network (AMN) organized an electric vehicle rally in Kathmandu on Monday. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, and Captain Rameshwar Thapa, Chairman of AMN, jointly flagged off the 'Nexon EV AMN EV Rally 2023 in association with Tesla' from Annapurna Tower in Tinkune. Although 200 EVs, including two-wheelers and three-wheelers, participated in the rally organized with the slogan 'We Believe in Action'. During the rally, the participants emphasized the importance of collective participation in the journey towards a sustainable future. The event was supported by TheeGo, World Wildlife Fund-Nepal, Save the Children, and Pan-C Bikes. Additionally, Garden Restaurant served as the food partner, Fruit Agro as the beverage partner, Foodmandu as the online food delivery partner, and Simrik Foundation as the synergy partner for the event. The rally that started from Tinkune progressed through Gaushala, Chabahil, Balaju, Naya Bazaar, Sorhakhutte, Durbar Marg, Gyaneshwar and Gaushala before concluding at Tinkune. All must act to protect environment: Minister Basnet Minister Basnet commended the Annapurna Media Group for organizing the rally. "This event teaches how every person and organization should take the initiative to face the challenges effectively," he added. Highlighting the impact of environmental pollution on human life, Minister Basnet expressed the difficulty in preserving the interdependent relationship between nature and humanity. "If we do not take initiatives in proportion to the extent to which the problems in people's daily life are expanding, then a great imbalance will arise," he warned. Minister Basnet reiterated his confidence that the rally would play a significant role in promoting environmental protection and creating a healthier environment. He said that this campaign was not only relevant but also necessary to address the pressing environmental concerns of our time. Minister Basnet highlighted the role of electric vehicles in reducing air pollution and safeguarding the green environment.  "The use of electric vehicles instead of petroleum vehicles will make a positive contribution by reducing harmful emissions," he said, adding that the government has taken a policy of promoting electric vehicles. During the event, AMN Chairman Captain Rameshwar Thapa highlighted the use of electric vehicles as a positive practice and called on the society, the government, and everyone to act. Thapa said he joined the campaign to protect the environment and that he believed in taking action. Stating that he has closely witnessed the impact of climate change on the mountains, Thapa expressed concern about the melting snow and its risks for humanity. "It is the responsibility of everyone to reduce the impacts of climate change. We, at AMN, consider it our duty to promote positive awareness. The EV rally is a part of our efforts," he added. Meanwhile, Shyam Kaji Maharjan has won an electric bicycle as a door prize of the event.    

Structures in Bandipur Rural Municipality-1, Dumre of Tanahun are being demolished as part of the Prithvi Highway expansion drive. A drive has begun to demolish houses and huts that were constructed within the road section. According to engineer of Muglin-Pokhara Road Project (Eastern Section) Bishnu Pandey, five houses of Dumre Bazaar – the main commercial hub of Bandipur and entry point to Lamjung district – are being razed now. 'The drive is underway to remove structures built within the road territory. As of now, five houses have been razed', he said, adding, 'All the structures constructed within the road scope would be gradually demolished'. Most of the houses built long back in Dumre Bazaar were found within the road area. A plan was mooted to raze such structures by providing compensation. The eastern part includes Anbukhaireni rural municipality, Bandipur rural municipality and Byas municipality. Preparations are also being made to remove the structures built in Anbukhaireni and Byas. He further said that as many as 631 structures would be removed from the section. Compensation amounting to Rs 2.245 million would be distributed to the rightful owner. The Muglin-Pokhara Road Expansion Project has expedited its works in two sections. The eastern section from Anbukhaireni to Jamune has made 30 percent progress, the project sources said. Blacktopping has started in seven-kilometer section of Anbukhaireni. Project chief Narendra Subedi said that works have been expedited with a target to complete blacktopping of seven-kilometer in the current fiscal year. The expansion drive was initiated in the eastern section in April 2021 after contract signing for the same in January 2021. In the 41.45-km road section, three big and four small bridges would be constructed. The contract was awarded to China Communication Construction for the eastern section. The government this year has allocated a budget of Rs 5.42 million for the Muglin-Pokhara road expansion. The four-lane road is being constructed with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank. The contract of Rs 6 billion 231 million was signed for the eastern section while it was Rs 7 billion 44.6 million for the expansion of western section. The four-lane road section will have 20-25 meters on each side.