Cable Car earns mere one percent from 8 Cr project in two years
Srinagar: The government has in two years earned mere 10.80 lac rupees from the Maqdoom Sahib ropeway amid the continual decline in revenues putting the Cable Car Corporation in a major tight-spot.
In the year 2013, the ropeway was constructed at the whooping cost of Rs 8 crore. The 550 metre ropeway was built by JKCCC through Kolkata-based Ropeway and Resorts Pvt Ltd and it was thrown open to public on December 23, 2013.
However, in May 2015, a team of experts had found the ropeway “unsafe” after finding its various major and minor components defective.
The enquiry was later ordered but the ropeway was thrown open.
However, officials said that the revenues from the ropeway are as meager that profits aside, the maintenance cost is getting difficult to bear.
The records reveal that the ropeway has earned 5 lac rupees during the year 2016 and this year, it hasn’t gone beyond 5.80 lac.
The reasons given include the location of the ropeway as people from the old city and other parts find it difficult to reach at the location.
The project was approved by the state government in 2010 to provide easy access to devotees to the shrine.
The government had also conducted a survey for the project through RITES, a Government of India subsidiary considered to be an authority in multi-disciplinary consultancy organisation in the fields of transport, infrastructure and related technologies.
The horizontal length of the ropeway is 541 metres with four cabins in each cluster with a capacity and design of 225 at maximum speed of 4m/sec.
(With inputs from KNS)