Jawahar Udyan Ropeway Work Begins

SAMBALPUR: Work on the ropeway connecting Jawahar Udyan with Gandhi Minar near Hirakud Dam Project (HDP) here finally started.

As a part of the project, four towers would be installed at the project site - two near Jawahar Udyan and as many more near Gandhi Minar. Distance between Jawahar Udyan and Gandhi Minar is 421 metres. There will be 12 cabins to travel on the ropeway and each cabin can carry four passengers at a time.

Senior Manager of Odisha Construction Corporation (OCC), Loknath Mohanty said a Kolkata-based company Damodar Ropeways and Infra Limited (DRIL) has been entrusted with the job. The company had started primary work last week and it would take about a year to be completed.

The ropeway project is estimated at `6.26 crore while, MCL will be funding it under its CSR. It has already allocated `five crore for the project in the first phase and the funds have been placed with the Water Resources Department. The project, first of its kind in Western Odisha, is aimed at boosting tourism. Jawahar Udyan is a park below the Hirakud dam, while Gandhi Minar is a watchtower above the Hirakud dam reservoir and provides a bird’s eye view of the vast reservoir.  Foundation stone for the project was laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on January 29, 2014.