Jog Falls ropeway gets Karnataka Forest Department approval
BENGALURU: One of the most ambitious projects of the state government, a ropeway project in Jog Falls, will soon see the light of day.
The forest department gave its in-principal approval for the project, stating that the state government needs to get the central government’s approval for it now.
The project was approved by the forest clearance wing of the department last month. The tourism department and the Jog Management Authority (JMA) are constructing a five-star hotel by demolishing the existing inspection bungalow (IB), near the head of the waterfalls.
A one-kilometre-long ropeway will also be created. For this, the forest department will hand over 2.3923 hectares of land, of which 1.8997 hectares are in the Sagar division.
“If all goes well then this will be the first ropeway project in the state and will be open for people by July 2025,” said a KMA official.
The project has drawn strong criticism from some officials in the forest department and from experts. They state that this will hamper the pristine Western Ghats and the critically endangered Lion Tailed Macaque (LTM).
“On one hand, forest, environment and ecology department minister Eshwar Khandre is fighting to protect encroached lands and recover them. The chief minister and Khandre also recently spoke tall of increasing the forest cover, on the other they are working on acquiring forest land for tourism projects which will further add pressure and more land will again be acquired in future for expansion,” said an expert working with the government.
The area where the ropeway is coming up is 4.3 km areal distance from the LTM Sanctuary. The JMA and tourism department are executing the project in two phases.
In the first phase at the cost of Rs 183 crore, the physical works are being completed in the existing Jog Falls area. This is being executed under the PPP model and the contractors are being given 42 years lease period.
In the second phase, all under PPP, the five-star hotel and ropeway works are being taken up at the cost of Rs 116 crore. This will executed once forest clearance is obtained, said Dharmappa T, additional director, of tourism, JMA.
Shivamogga Deputy Commissioner, Gurudatta Hegade said, forest land was being used for many years without the department knowing as no proper survey was done. Now for executing the project, a survey was done, where it was ascertained that forest land was used hence applications were filed for forest clearance.
“No further forest land will be acquired and not a single tree will be cut for implementing the project. The existing IB is being demolished for the new one. The existing two and three-star hotels in the JMA area are being upgraded,” Hegade said.
Mohan Kumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Sagar said the IB was constructed around 50 years back. It stands on forest and revenue lands. Also, for erecting poles for the end of the ropeway, forest land is being acquired. Ground surveys have been completed.
“Now the state government will get clearance from the central government for acquiring the land and executing the project,” said Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, BK Diskhit.